Matthew J. Atherton

Matthew J. Atherton, BVSc, PhD, DECVIM, serves as an Assistant Professor of Immuno-Oncology in the Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine department at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. His research focuses on translational applications of T cell-based immunotherapies for canine cancers with implications for human oncology.

Dr. Atherton's educational background includes a BVSc in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Bristol (2005) and a PhD in Medical Sciences-Infection & Immunity from McMaster University (2017). His clinical training encompasses an internship at the Small Animal Hospital-University of Glasgow (2009-2013), residency at McMaster University's Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine (2017-2018), and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (2018-2021). He is board certified as a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine-Companion Animals (Oncology).

His research interests center on immuno-oncology, with particular emphasis on CAR T cell therapy, oncolytic virotherapy, and comparative cancer models using spontaneous canine tumors. Dr. Atherton leads the Atherton Laboratory at the Penn Vet Cancer Center, where his team investigates the prognostic and therapeutic role of T cells in hematologic neoplasms across species.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on translational immunotherapy research, particularly CAR T cell therapy for canine cancers, tumor microenvironment modulation, and the development of comparative oncology models. His work bridges veterinary and human medicine, with significant contributions to understanding immune responses in spontaneous canine tumors as models for human cancer.

Scientific Awards:

• Shuman Translational Research Fellow

Dr. Atherton's work involves extensive collaboration with the Penn Vet Cancer Center and the Ryan Veterinary Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Care program. His research has secured funding for developing model systems for evaluating CAR T cell therapy using dogs with spontaneous cancers, which has significant translational implications for human oncology. His laboratory focuses on identifying and appraising novel targets for T cell-based immunotherapy in clinical trials for canine patients with aggressive tumors.

His laboratory work centers on the Atherton Laboratory within the Penn Vet Cancer Center, where his team explores the intersection of veterinary medicine and human cancer research through comparative oncology approaches. Current projects focus on cytokine release syndrome in CAR-T treated patients, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte responses, and developing improved immunotherapeutic approaches for difficult-to-treat cancers.