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Topic

Metabolic Modulation of pH flux in T cells in the tumor microenvironment

Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology

Date & location

• Tuesday, November 18, 2025
• 10:00 A.M.
• Engineering & Computer Science Building, Room 128

Examining Committee

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Julian Lum, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, ӣ��Ӱ�� (Supervisor)
• Dr. David Goodlett, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, UVic (Member)
• Dr. Leigh Anne Swayne, School of Medical Sciences, UVic (Outside Member)

External Examiner

• Dr. Nicole Templeman, Department of Biology, UVic

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Mohammadhossein Karimi, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UVic

Abstract

T cell immunotherapy is an effective treatment for malignant cancers of the blood but has had limited success in solid tumors (1,2). Solid tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Canada, and a projected 1,950 Canadians are predicted to die from ovarian cancer by the end of 2023 (3). The solid tumor microenvironment proves a challenging arena: hostile, with low oxygen, varied nutrient levels, poor blood flow, and a buildup of acidic hydrogen ions (acidosis), which creates an inhospitable environment (4,5). Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX), a tumor-associated membrane enzyme, is a critical molecule for regulating the internal pH (pHi) of tumor cells (6). Without tumor enhancements such as CAIX, tumor-fighting T cells have insufficient means to control pHi, often losing in the constant battle with metabolic acidosis (7). Using genetic engineering, our lab has successfully transduced T cells with CAIX, but we found that it did not have any substantial effects in improving T cell function in acidic environments.