The Teng lab studies mechanisms underlying cancer progression and treatment responses, develops targeted and immune-based cancer therapeutics using multidisciplinary and integrative approaches, and translates the latest fundamental discoveries to clinical applications.

Dr. Teng uses novel 3D culture and preclinical animal models as the main research platform to gain critical insights into three major areas of research:

1. Understand the molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis, metabolism, and immunogenic cell death,
2. Decipher the mechanistic underpinning of treatment resistance in tumors with specific genetic backgrounds,
3. Discover novel anticancer strategies and mechanism-informed therapies that can simultaneously elicit tumor regression and prime antitumor immunity, including developing novel anticancer strategies such as tumor-seeking nanomedicines, therapeutic stapled peptides, oncolytic viruses, and other more effective treatments.