Matt Griffin

Professor Matt Griffin is a faculty member at the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine (UCI), within the School of Medicine and the Department of Biological Chemistry. He leads innovative research in cancer immunotherapy, focusing on the role of gut microbiota in modulating responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

His research centers on understanding how microbial metabolites activate the immune system during cancer treatment. Specifically, he investigates how these molecules can synergize with anti-PD-1 therapies to overcome resistance in melanoma. His lab aims to discover novel enzymes involved in producing immunostimulatory compounds and use them to engineer precision probiotics for improved therapeutic outcomes.

Dr. Griffin's work bridges microbiology, immunology, and bioengineering, contributing to the emerging field of microbiome-based cancer therapeutics. His research has been recognized nationally through competitive funding from the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Scientific Awards:

• Abeloff V Scholar, V Foundation for Cancer Research (2023)

Dr. Griffin currently leads a major research initiative funded by the V Foundation, with the goal of developing next-generation biotherapies to enhance cancer immunotherapy efficacy. His project, Developing precision probiotics to overcome melanoma resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy, is central to advancing personalized treatment strategies for immunotherapy-resistant cancers.

He is actively involved in the research ecosystem at the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he contributes to interdisciplinary efforts in oncology, molecular biology, and microbial engineering. His lab fosters collaboration across immunology, synthetic biology, and clinical oncology to translate basic discoveries into novel patient treatments.