Prior Academic Affiliation: University of California, Riverside; California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Thesis mentor name: Dr. Kevin Morris
Thesis Title: Enhancing and Protecting CAR T cells against HIV’s viral environment
Fellowships, honors, awards etc.: 1st Place (Tied) – Poster Presentation Research Staff Organization (RSO) Advanced Conference, 2019; 2nd Place – Outstanding Poster Presentation in Molecular Biology. Southern California Academy of Science Annual Conference, 2011.; Cal Grant: 2005-2008; UCR Grant: 2008-2009; P3 Award – A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity, and the Planet, 2007
Publications:
Urak R*, Soemardy C, Scott T, Morris KV. Mobilizing CAR T cells against HIV with conditionally replicating vectors (In preparation)
Urak R*, Walter M, Lim L, Wong CW, Budde LE, Thomas S, Forman S, Wang X. Akt Inhibition promotes the generation of potent CD19CAR T cells for adoptive immunotherapy. Journal of Immunotherapy of Cancer 2017 Mar 21; 5:26 PMID: 28331616
Jonnalagadda M*, Mardiros A*, Urak R.*, Wang X, Hoffman LJ, Bernanke A, Chang WC, Bretzlaff B, Starr R, Priceman S, Ostberg JR, Forman SJ, Brown CE. Chimeric Antigen Receptors with Mutated IgG4 Fc Spacer Avoid Fc Receptor Binding and Improve T cell Persistence and Anti-Tumor Efficacy, Molecular Therapy 2015: 757-768. PMID: 25366031
Urak R.*, Alas S. Bone Maintenance Cellular Response to Experimental Alloys for Human Prosthetics. Master’s Thesis. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. March 2013
Urak R.*, Douhan GW, and Wong F. Mating-type distribution of the rice blast pathogen Pyricularia grisea in California. UCR Undergraduate Research Journal 2008 Jun Volume 2: 61-66