Colby Maldini

Dr. Colby Maldini is a Caspar Wistar Fellow at The Wistar Institute's HIV Cure and Viral Diseases Center, specializing in cellular immunotherapy for infectious diseases and cancer. He leads the Maldini Laboratory, which focuses on leveraging genome engineering technologies to enhance immunotherapies. His work bridges basic science and clinical applications in the fields of HIV cure research and cancer immunotherapy.

• B.S. in Biological Chemistry from Bates College (Lewiston, ME)
• Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)

Dr. Maldini's research focuses on cellular immunotherapy, particularly using CAR-T cell technology and genome engineering to combat infectious diseases like HIV and cancer. His laboratory integrates base editing systems with synthetic biology to overcome therapeutic resistance, improve safety, and expand applications of engineered immune cells. Key areas include HIV-specific immunotherapies, allogeneic cell therapy, and strategies to mitigate immune rejection.

His publication record shows a strong focus on applying CAR-T cell technology to HIV treatment and overcoming challenges in allogeneic cell therapy. Recent work demonstrates innovative approaches to HIV cure strategies using gene-edited T cells and methods to prevent rejection of therapeutic cells. His research bridges immunology, virology, and genetic engineering to develop next-generation treatments.

Dr. Maldini actively mentors students and collaborators in the laboratory setting, fostering the next generation of immunotherapy researchers. His work has attracted significant research funding supporting the development of novel cellular therapies.

The Maldini Laboratory operates at the forefront of immunotherapy research, collaborating with clinical and basic science teams to translate laboratory discoveries into potential treatments. The lab maintains state-of-the-art facilities for cell engineering, functional testing, and preclinical validation of novel therapeutic approaches.