Dan Kaufman

Professor Dan Kaufman is a faculty member at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), affiliated with the School of Medicine and the Department of Medicine. His research focuses on stem cell biology, natural killer (NK) cell engineering, and their application in cancer immunotherapy. Key areas include deriving functional immune cells (NK cells, T cells, macrophages) from pluripotent stem cells, understanding NK cell cytotoxicity mechanisms, and developing novel therapeutic strategies against cancers like hepatocellular carcinoma and ovarian cancer.

He has secured major NIH grants as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI, including projects on blocking NK cell CD16a shedding, identifying novel NK cell regulators, and combining pharmacologic/immune therapies for oncogenic states. His work spans over two decades, with foundational contributions to hematopoietic differentiation from embryonic stem cells and stem cell-derived therapies for myocardial repair.

Professor Kaufman's lab at UCSD (Kaufman Lab Site) explores cutting-edge cellular therapies, including CAR-engineered NK cells and iPSC-derived macrophages. His research integrates molecular biology, immunology, and regenerative medicine to advance personalized cancer treatments. He has trained numerous researchers through NIH-funded stem cell biology training programs.