Todd Schell

Todd Schell, PhD is Professor in the Department of Cell and Biological Systems at Penn State College of Medicine. He serves as faculty director of the Flow Cytometry Core Facility and maintains dual affiliations with the Penn State Cancer Institute and Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis program.

His research focuses on cancer immunotherapy, particularly enhancing tumor-reactive T lymphocyte persistence within tumor microenvironments. Key areas include adoptive T-cell therapies for brain, pancreatic, prostate, and skin cancers, with recent work examining combinatorial approaches involving CD40/PD-1 antibodies, radiation, and beta-blockers. Translational studies identify patient characteristics predicting durable responses to immunotherapies in metastatic melanoma.

His publication trends reveal strong emphasis on immune cell engineering (cytotoxic lymphocytes, NK cells), targeted inhibition (aldehyde dehydrogenase, telomerase), and molecular pathways in carcinogenesis. Recent work integrates pharmacological agents with immunotherapies to overcome tumor resistance mechanisms.

Dr. Schell directs the Flow Cytometry Core Facility and leads multiple NCI-funded projects including:

• Targeting Aldehyde Dehydrogenase for Cancer Prevention (2020-2024)
• Neuroendocrine Modulation of T Cell Immunity to Cancer (2009-2010)
• CD8+ T Cell-Mediated Immunotherapy of Autochthonous Tumors (1985-2015)

His laboratory maintains active collaborations with clinical investigators for translational validation of immunotherapeutic approaches, with particular focus on melanoma and head/neck cancers.