Stephen Santoro

Stephen Santoro has a diverse work experience spanning over 15 years. Stephen started their career as a Research Assistant at NOAA, where they worked as a quality control specialist and distributions lab manager. Stephen then joined Frontier Geosciences as a Mercury Analyst, analyzing water, tissue, and soil samples for trace mercury content.

Stephen went on to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania, where they focused on determining the interaction of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) bearing T cells with the tumor vasculature. Stephen explored the mechanisms employed by T cells to kill endothelial cell targets and characterized the endothelial response that makes these cells resistance to T cell-mediated apoptosis.

After completing their Ph.D., Stephen joined Genentech as a Postdoctoral Researcher, where they interrogated the interaction of immune cells with the tumor microenvironment. Stephen used confocal and intra-vital imaging techniques to examine how the tumor stroma and associated microenvironment influence anti-tumor immunity, with the goal of making the tumor microenvironment more inflammatory.

Stephen then transitioned into the biotechnology industry, starting at Cell Design Labs as a Scientist and Project Lead. Stephen led a team of research associates and scientists in developing a preclinical "best-in-class" approach for the treatment of hematological cancers, specifically focusing on CAR therapy. Stephen developed strategies to control CAR-bearing T cell activity to mitigate toxicity and enhance tumor discrimination from normal tissue.

Stephen's next role was at Kite Pharma as a Senior Scientist and Project Lead. Here, they directed Kite's multiple myeloma research efforts and developed novel CAR therapies to improve upon existing anti-BCMA CAR therapies. Stephen led a team in conducting various activities such as antigen validation, antibody discovery, and CAR T cell functional assessment. Stephen also developed a novel switch platform to enable control of CAR T cell function using a small molecule activator.

Currently, Stephen is working at ArsenalBio as a Director and Senior Director of ICT Development.

Stephen Santoro obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Geology from the University of Colorado Boulder from 2000 to 2004. Following this, they pursued a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology, with a focus on Gene Therapy and Vaccines, at the University of Pennsylvania from 2008 to 2014.