Andras Heczey MD

Dr. Andras Heczey is a pediatric oncologist, cancer immunologist, and translational researcher specializing in engineered cellular therapies for solid tumors. He serves as Professor of Pediatrics in Hematology-Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Scientific Director of Translational Research in Cell, Gene, and Protein Therapeutics at Seattle Children’s Research Institute.

Dr. Heczey leads a research program focused on advancing next-generation cancer immunotherapies, including CAR T-cell and CAR-NKT cell therapies for pediatric and adult solid tumors. His laboratory develops innovative synthetic immunology approaches designed to improve immune cell persistence, overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and enhance antitumor efficacy. His work has contributed to the development of armored CAR T cells expressing cytokines such as IL-15 and IL-21, as well as novel gene-regulatory platforms and in vivo cell-engineering technologies.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Heczey has translated laboratory discoveries into early-phase clinical trials targeting cancers, including neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, Wilms tumor, and rhabdoid tumors. His research has been supported by the NIH, American Cancer Society, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, St. Baldrick’s Foundation, and other major funding organizations.

Dr. Heczey has authored numerous high-impact publications in cancer immunotherapy and cell therapy and is widely recognized for pioneering translational approaches that bridge laboratory innovation with clinical application. In addition to his scientific leadership, he is actively involved in mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and physician-scientists in the fields of cancer biology, immunology, and gene engineering.