Dr. Carlos Rogerio Figueiredo, Ph.D.

As an immunologist trained under the scientific legacy that connects Brazil to the roots of tumor immunology at Memorial Sloan Kettering, I bring a vision shaped by history and committed to innovation. My scientific lineage traces back to Prof. Luiz R. Travassos, who, as a visiting professor at Sloan Kettering, worked with Lloyd J. Old, then one of the central figures of the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). Lloyd’s influence reached far beyond his own lab, inspiring a generation of tumor immunologists worldwide. Although James P. Allison was not at CRI during my Ph.D. years, his breakthroughs in immune checkpoint therapy carried forward that same legacy. From Brazil, we followed those discoveries with both hope and ambition, convinced that the immune system could be guided to transform the future of cancer treatment.
 

I began my scientific journey at UNESP, where I completed my undergraduate studies. From there, I moved to UNIFESP, earning both my Master’s and Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbiology, with an emphasis on cancer immunobiology and immunotherapy. Those years laid the foundation of my belief that cancer could be confronted not only with chemotherapy and surgery, but also by teaching the immune system to fight back.

After my doctorate, I sought to expand my training in translational research. At the University of Liverpool, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Translational Medicine, learning to bridge laboratory discoveries with patient care. I then continued with another postdoctoral fellowship within the NHS and NorthWest Cancer Research, where I worked on Clinical Cancer Research, Biobank Research, Biomarker Discovery, and Molecular Pathology. These experiences profoundly shaped my appreciation for patient-derived samples, not as anonymous specimens, but as vital keys to understanding disease and finding cures.
 

My path then brought me to Finland, where I undertook a third postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Translational Research at the University of Turku. It was here that I was awarded the title of Docent (Adjunct Professor) of Immunology, and soon after, the Research Council of Finland Fellowship, which enabled me to establish my own independent research program: the Medical Immuno-Oncology Research Group (MIORG). Leading MIORG marked a defining moment in my career, the opportunity to build a vision and to guide a team dedicated to advancing science at the interface of immunology and medicine.
 

At MIORG, our research is rooted in a reverse translational approach. We begin with clinical trial datasets and biobank cohorts, drawing from strong collaborations with Finnish Biobanks (Auria, Fingenius), as well as international partners at Liverpool and Columbia, and work backward to uncover the molecular and cellular mechanisms that shape immune responses to cancer. By integrating spatial transcriptomics, high-dimensional cytometry, proteomics, and AI-driven analytics, we seek to identify immune mechanisms of resistance and design therapies capable of overcoming them. Our functional and preclinical models then validate these discoveries, laying the groundwork for next-generation treatments that aim to reprogram immunity and restore antitumor responses.
 

This body of work has been recognized internationally, most notably with the Young Investigator Award in Immunology from the Scandinavian Society for Immunology, honoring our contributions to advancing immunology in the Nordic region. Yet, while awards are meaningful, I see them not as an endpoint but as a reminder of the mission: to ensure discoveries translate into real solutions for patients.

Collaboration is central to that mission. I have been privileged to establish partnerships with leading institutions across the US (MD Anderson, Stanford, Columbia), the UK (Liverpool, Manchester), and Finland (InFLAMES Flagship, FICAN West, FIMM, TRIMM, ICAN). Together, we are working to solve one of the greatest challenges in oncology today: how to turn “cold” tumors into “hot” ones capable of responding to immunotherapy.
 

Equally important to me is mentorship. Training doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career scientists has been among the most rewarding parts of my work. I believe education must combine rigor with compassion, building not only knowledge but resilience, curiosity, and integrity. Beyond the university, I have also developed online courses and digital resources to make immunology accessible to students and the public alike, because I believe science should be shared widely, not locked away.
 

Looking back, I see my path as one shaped by legacy, beginning with the roots of tumor immunology at Sloan Kettering, but also by vision: the conviction that science should always serve humanity. Looking forward, my goal remains simple: to turn discoveries in immunology into therapies that bring hope, healing, and new life to patients facing cancer and immune-mediated diseases.