Philip D. Greenberg

Dr. Philip D. Greenberg serves as Professor at both Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Translational Science and Therapeutics Division) and University of Washington (Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Immunology). Holding The Rona Jaffe Foundation Endowed Chair at Fred Hutch, he co-founded the UW Department of Immunology and Fred Hutch Program in Immunology, establishing foundational training and research environments for cancer immunology.

• Academic Background: M.D. from State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center; completed Internship/Residency at UC San Diego; Fellowships in Immunology and Oncology at UC San Diego and Fred Hutch
• Clinical Practice: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center - South Lake Union and UW Medical Center - Montlake

Internationally recognized as a cancer immunology pioneer, Dr. Greenberg's laboratory conducted seminal research demonstrating how T cells recognize and eliminate malignant cells. His team developed early technologies to produce functional antigen-specific T cells and proved adoptively transferred T cells can eradicate disseminated cancer. His work revealed CD4+ T cells can independently eliminate tumors without CD8+ T cells - a groundbreaking discovery at the time.

His research has evolved from foundational studies to clinical applications, initially developing approaches against cytomegalovirus and HIV, then advancing to genetically-engineered T cell therapies for cancer. Current work focuses on overcoming tumor microenvironment suppression through engineered T cells targeting melanoma, leukemia, and solid tumors (lung, ovarian, pancreatic) using antigens like WT1, Cyclin A1, and mesothelin.

• Key Contributions: Methods for T cell expansion/genetic engineering, high-affinity TCR isolation, strategies to overcome immune-suppressive microenvironments
• Recent Focus: Checkpoint blockade combinations (PD-1, Tim-3, Lag-3), Fas ligand-mediated death signaling, viral-specific T cell therapies

Dr. Greenberg has trained over 40 independent researchers, many now leaders in immunology. His laboratory remains at the forefront of adoptive T cell therapy development, with publications spanning basic mechanisms to clinical translation across viral infections and multiple cancer types.