Jane Willoughby

Dr. Jane Willoughby is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Southampton's Faculty of Medicine, specializing in cancer immunotherapy and antibody engineering. She is a member of the Institute of Developmental Sciences and collaborates extensively with leading researchers in the field of immunology and oncology.

Her research focuses on:

• Cancer immunotherapy approaches targeting immune checkpoint molecules
• Antibody engineering for enhanced therapeutic efficacy
• T cell activation and memory formation in cancer contexts
• Development of novel antibody-based treatments for neuroblastoma

Dr. Willoughby's publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on understanding the mechanisms of antibody-mediated immune activation, particularly through costimulatory receptors like OX40 and 4-1BB. Her work bridges fundamental immunology with translational cancer research, aiming to develop more effective immunotherapies for cancer patients. Her recent publications show increasing emphasis on the structural and functional properties of therapeutic antibodies and their impact on clinical outcomes.

Her notable scientific contributions include:

• Research on OX40 antibody mechanisms and their therapeutic applications
• Studies on PD-1 checkpoint blockade optimization
• Investigations into the role of antibody isotypes in cancer immunotherapy
• Work on T cell costimulation pathways for enhanced anti-tumor immunity

Dr. Willoughby currently supervises PhD student Nubia Patricia Castillo Mosquera in the iPhD Biomed program and collaborates on multiple research projects including "Enhancing anti-GD2 chemo-immunotherapy in pre-clinical neuroblastoma models" and "B7-H3/GD2 Trispecific antibodies in Neuroblastoma," the latter sponsored by the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group.