David Akhavan, M.D., Ph.D.

After receiving his Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of California Los Angeles in the Medical Scientist Training Program, Dr. Akhavan went on to complete his PhD studying mechanisms of resistance to EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors at the University of California Los Angeles. Dr. Akhavan then completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at the City of Hope National Medical Center. There, he completed embedded postdoctoral training at the T cell Research Laboratory (TCTRL) studying CAR T cells for Glioma.

Dr. Akhavan conducts an active research laboratory developing cell-based immunotherapy targeting malignant brain tumors, including Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells. His laboratory focuses on a molecular dissection of tumor antigen loss, T cell exhaustion, and cell manufacturing bottlenecks.

786 Evaluation of the immunomodulatory effects of radiation for chimeric antigen receptor T Cell therapy in glioblastoma multiforme

De-repression of PDGFRβ transcription promotes acquired resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in glioblastoma patients

Disparities Predict for Higher Rates of Cut-Through Hysterectomies in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer

EGFR as a potent CAR T target in triple negative breast cancer brain metastases.

Shifting paradigms: whole brain radiation therapy versus stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases

Evaluating the role of Radiation and Epigenetic modulation to improve CAR T function in a murine Glioma model