James N. Kochenderfer, M.D.

James N. Kochenderfer, M.D.
Investigator
Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch

Dr. Kochenderfer is a physician-scientist working to develop immunotherapies for lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. His current work focuses on chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are fusion proteins that recognize malignant cells. T cells genetically engineered to express CARs can be infused into patients to treat cancer. Dr. Kochenderfer leads laboratory studies of CAR T-cell biology and clinical studies of CAR T-cell therapies for multiple myeloma and for treatment of B-cell malignancies after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Areas of Expertise
1) Chimeric Antigen Receptors 2) Treatment of Lymphoma, Leukemia, and Multiple Myeloma 3) T-cell immunology 4) Gene therapy 5) Immunotherapy 6) Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Contact Info

James N. Kochenderfer, M.D.
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute
Building 10 - CRC - Room 3-3888
Bethesda, MD 20892
Ph: 240-760-6062
kochendj@mail.nih.gov
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Dr. Kochenderfer's research is aimed at developing T-cell therapies for hematogic malignancies. T cells normally play a critical role in fighting infections. Under certain circumstances, T cells can exert a powerful and specifically-targeted anti-malignancy effect. Dr. Kochenderfer's current laboratory work involves genetic engineering of T cells with genes encoding chimeric antigen receptors that target malignancy-associated antigens. This work has led to two clinical trials in which patients receive infusions of T cells that are genetically engineered to specifically recognize and eliminate cells expressing the CD19 antigen, which is expressed by most B-cell lymphomas and B-cell leukemias. These clinical trials have produced the first evidence that genetically-engineered T cells can eliminate CD19-expressing cells in humans.

Scientific Focus Areas:
Clinical Research, Immunology
View Dr. Kochenderfer's PubMed Summary.

Selected Recent Publications

  1. Lymphoma Remissions Caused by Anti-CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Are Associated With High Serum Interleukin-15 Levels.
    Kochenderfer JN, Somerville RPT, Lu T, Shi V, Bot A, Rossi J, Xue A, Goff SL, Yang JC, Sherry RM, Klebanoff CA, Kammula US, Sherman M, Perez A, Yuan CM, Feldman T, Friedberg JW, Roschewski MJ, Feldman SA, McIntyre L, Toomey MA, Rosenberg SA
    J Clin Oncol. 35: 1803-1813, 2017. [ Journal Article ]
  2. T cells expressing an anti-B-cell maturation antigen chimeric antigen receptor cause remissions of multiple myeloma.
    Ali SA, Shi V, Maric I, Wang M, Stroncek DF, Rose JJ, Brudno JN, Stetler-Stevenson M, Feldman SA, Hansen BG, Fellowes VS, Hakim FT, Gress RE, Kochenderfer JN
    Blood. 128 1688-700: 2016. [ Journal Article ]
  3. Allogeneic T Cells That Express an Anti-CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor Induce Remissions of B-Cell Malignancies That Progress After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation Without Causing Graft-Versus-Host Disease.
    Brudno JN, Somerville RP, Shi V, Rose JJ, Halverson DC, Fowler DH, Gea-Banacloche JC, Pavletic SZ, Hickstein DD, Lu TL, Feldman SA, Iwamoto AT, Kurlander R, Maric I, Goy A, Hansen BG, Wilder JS, Blacklock-Schuver B, Hakim FT, Rosenberg SA, Gress RE, Kochenderfer JN
    J Clin Oncol. 34: 1112-21, 2016. [ Journal Article ]
  4. T Cells Genetically Modified to Express an Anti-B-Cell Maturation Antigen Chimeric Antigen Receptor Cause Remissions of Poor-Prognosis Relapsed Multiple Myeloma.
    Brudno JN, Maric I, Hartman SD, Rose JJ, Wang M, Lam N, Stetler-Stevenson M, Salem D, Yuan C, Pavletic S, Kanakry JA, Ali SA, Mikkilineni L, Feldman SA, Stroncek DF, Hansen BG, Lawrence J, Patel R, Hakim F, Gress RE, Kochenderfer JN.
    J Clin Oncol. 36/22: 2267-2280, 2018. [ Journal Article ]
  5. Function of Novel Anti-CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptors with Human Variable Regions Is Affected by Hinge and Transmembrane Domains.
    Alabanza L, Pegues M, Geldres C, Shi V, Wiltzius JJW, Sievers SA, Yang S, Kochenderfer JN
    Mol Ther. 25/11: 2452-2465, 2017. [ Journal Article ]

Dr. Kochenderfer is a clinician and translational researcher in the Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Kochenderfer conducts research aimed at developing new T-cell therapies for lymphoma and leukemia. His clinical expertise lies in the areas of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and hematologic malignancies. Dr. Kochenderfer received his M.D. from West Virginia University in 1995, and he completed clinical training in internal medicine at Vanderbilt University. He completed oncology and hematology fellowships at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and at Baylor College of Medicine. He completed further training in tumor immunology and stem cell transplantation at the NCI prior to assuming his current position as an Assistant Clinical Investigator.

Name Position
Christina Amatya Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow (Visiting)
Jennifer Brudno M.D. Staff Clinician
Ashley Carpenter R.N. Research Nurse
Stephanie Choi B.S. Postbaccalaureate Fellow (CRTA)
Michaela Ganaden R.N. Research Nurse
Brenna Hansen R.N. Research Nurse
Norris Lam B.S. Biologist
Lekha Mikkilineni M.D. Medical Oncology Clinical Fellow
Rachael Mohn B.S. Patient Care Coordinator (Contr.)
Danielle Vanasse B.S. Research Technician (Contr.)
Shicheng Yang Ph.D. Principal Scientist, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.