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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 470 7728
Email
alex.mclellan@otago.ac.nz
Position
Professor
Department
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Qualifications
MSc (Cant) PhD (Otago)
Research summary
Cancer immunobiology

Research

CAR T cells (Chimeric Antigen Receptor-modified T cells) against solid tumours. Cancer stem cell antigens, tumour-associated antigens, and tumour microenvironment metabolites. Cytokine and chemokine receptor strategies to improve T cell function against solid tumours.

Research projects

  • Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) and NK cells targeting solid tumours
  • Dual CAR constructs against B cell malignancies and solid tumours using bi-directional promoters
  • Sleeping Beauty and Retroviral vector constructs utilising drug and auto-inducible-promoters
  • Targeting the tumour microenvironment
  • Fighting the cytokine storm
  • Improved anti-cancer T cell migration using targeted cytokines

Publications

Bull, D. M., Hazlett, J., Schulpen, E., Tunnicliffe, S., McLellan, A. D., & Dunbier, A. K. (2026). Development of immunocompetent models for primary and metastatic ER+ breast cancer. Animal Models & Experimental Medicine. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/ame2.70210 Journal - Research Article

Dobson, L. J., Hock, B. D., Drabble, A. H. T., Goddard, L., McKenzie, J. L., MacPherson, S. A., & McLellan, A. D. (2026). Enhanced Fc and complement activity of Fc-modified avelumab boosts anti-tumor activity but promotes NK cell fratricide. Clinical & Translational Immunology, 15, e70098. doi: 10.1002/cti2.70098 Journal - Research Article

McLellan, A. D., Dobson, L. J., Marron, P., & Pe, K. C. (2026). Advances in cellular therapy for cancer: Vector design and genome editing. Immunology & Cell Biology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/imcb.70111 Journal - Research Other

Smith-Bell, S. W. J., Halpin, J. C., Darcy, P. K., Liyanage, T., Dobson, L. J., & McLellan, A. D. (2026). Auto-inducible expression of chimeric antigen receptor T cells using the NR4A1 promoter. Immunology & Cell Biology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/imcb.70095 Journal - Research Article

McLellan, A. (2025, September). Teamwork for the cure: Combination NK cell and CAR T cell therapy. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Research Week (QRW) Satellite Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI) NZ Branch, Christchurch, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

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