Research Associate
National Research Council Canada, Canada
Dr. Ankita Dabla is a Research Associate in the Cancer Immunology Team at the Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada (NRC), in Ottawa. Her research focuses on the development of novel NK cell–based immunotherapies for multiple myeloma, including engineering nanobody-driven BiKEs and TriKEs to enhance NK cell cytotoxicity and overcome current limitations of T cell–based approaches.
Dr. Dabla received her Ph.D. in Life Sciences from the National Institute of Immunology (NII), India, where she developed genetic tools for manipulating Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an intractable pathogen with global health relevance. She continued her training as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology at the University of Ottawa. Her work during this time uncovered immune evasion mechanisms employed by M. tuberculosis and the roles of TREM2 and focal adhesion kinase in regulating host-pathogen interactions.
With a strong foundation in molecular biology, immunology, and microbial pathogenesis, Dr. Dabla has built cross-disciplinary expertise in protein engineering, viral vector systems, and cell-based functional assays. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and has been recognized with competitive research fellowships and awards.
Dr. Dabla is passionate about translational immunology and advancing accessible, off-the-shelf therapeutic platforms for cancer. She continues to apply her diverse skill set toward the design and development of next-generation biologics with the potential to transform treatment paradigms.