For the first time, researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have demonstrated a reliable method to produce helper T cells from stem cells in a controlled laboratory setting. This groundbreaking discovery, published today in Cell Stem Cell, addresses a significant barrier that has hindered the development, affordability, and large-scale manufacturing of cell therapies. The findings could revolutionize the accessibility and effectiveness of off-the-shelf treatments for various conditions, including cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmune disorders.
“Engineered cell therapies are transforming modern medicine,” stated Dr. Peter Zandstra, co-senior author and director of the UBC School of Biomedical Engineering. “This study addresses one of the biggest challenges in making these lifesaving treatments accessible to more people, showing for the first time a reliable and scalable way to grow multiple immune cell types.”
The Promise and Challenge of Living Drugs
In recent years, engineered cell therapies, such as CAR-T treatments for cancer, have delivered dramatic and lifesaving results for patients with otherwise untreatable diseases. These therapies work by reprogramming human immune cells to recognize and attack illnesses, effectively turning the cells into ‘living drugs’.
Despite their immense potential, cell therapies remain expensive and complex to produce, making them inaccessible to many patients worldwide. One major challenge is that most current treatments are derived from a patient’s own immune cells, necessitating weeks of customized manufacturing for each individual.
“The long-term goal is to have off-the-shelf cell therapies that are manufactured ahead of time and on a larger scale from a renewable source like stem cells,” explained Dr. Megan Levings, co-senior author and professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at UBC. “This would make treatments much more cost-effective and ready when patients need them.”
A Big Step Toward Stem Cell-Grown Therapies
Cell therapies for cancer are most effective when two types of immune cells are present: killer T cells, which attack infected or cancerous cells, and helper T cells, which act as the immune system’s conductors. While progress has been made in generating killer T cells from stem cells, producing helper T cells has remained elusive—until now.
In the new study, UBC researchers overcame this challenge by adjusting key biological signals during cell development to control whether stem cells developed into helper or killer T cells. The team discovered that a developmental signal called Notch plays a critical but time-sensitive role. Notch is necessary early in immune cell development, but if it remains active too long, it prevents the formation of helper T cells.
“By precisely tuning when and how much this signal is reduced, we were able to direct stem cells to become either helper or killer T cells,” said Dr. Ross Jones, co-first author and research associate in the Zandstra Lab. “We achieved this in controlled laboratory conditions applicable to real-world biomanufacturing, which is essential for turning this discovery into a viable therapy.”
“These cells look and act like genuine human helper T cells,” noted Kevin Salim, co-first author and UBC PhD student in the Levings Lab. “That’s critical for future therapeutic potential.”
Implications for the Future of Medicine
The ability to generate both helper and killer T cells—and to control the balance between them—could significantly enhance the efficacy of stem cell-grown immune therapies in the future. According to Dr. Zandstra, “This is a major step forward in our ability to develop scalable and affordable immune cell therapies.”
This technology now lays the groundwork for testing the role of helper T cells in supporting the elimination of cancer cells and generating new types of helper T cell-derived cells, such as regulatory T cells, for clinical applications. The move represents a pivotal advancement in the quest for more accessible and effective medical treatments.
As the field of cell therapy continues to evolve, the implications of this research could extend far beyond current applications. By overcoming the challenges of scalability and cost, stem cell-derived therapies could become a cornerstone of modern medicine, offering hope to millions of patients worldwide.
The announcement comes as the medical community increasingly looks to innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for personalized and effective treatments. With further research and development, the promise of off-the-shelf cell therapies could soon become a reality, transforming the landscape of healthcare.
