Gurmeet Kaur: M.S., Biology
Gurmeet Kaur Advances Cancer Research through Innovative Therapies
Biology student Gurmeet Kaur is a dedicated researcher on a quest to advance targeted, immune-engaging therapies for women battling ovarian cancer. As she explains in her Grad Slam research presentation, the subject matter is personal:
“15 years ago, my sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Like many patients, she underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. I watched her lose her beautiful hair and her glowing skin, not from cancer, but from the treatment that was meant to save her. I used to think, ‘Is this our only option?’ and this question led me to cancer research.”
While working as a high school teacher in India, she watched as three of her family members battling different forms of cancer suffered from the side effects of potential cures. (Two uncles were also diagnosed with the disease.) Determined to find a better way, she then took the unusual step of leaving her home and career in India behind to pursue a new life in cancer research in the U.S. Her quest for gentler, more effective cancer treatments led her to pursue a master’s degree in biology at CSUSB.
“I started looking for programs with connections to cancer research labs through the CIRM Bridges program,” she said. “CSUSB is one of the universities participating in that program.”
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) funds the Bridges to Stem Cell Research Program. The highly competitive fellowship connects students to research labs advancing knowledge in the field of medicine. In 2024 Kaur was named a CIRM Bridges Fellow and conducted her thesis research at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Dr. Karen S. Aboody’s laboratory. There, she joined a team pursuing novel cancer treatments.
“I investigated the optimal dosing interval and frequency of CRAd-S-pk7, an engineered oncolytic virus designed to selectively identify, infiltrate, and destroy ovarian cancer cells while leaving surrounding healthy tissue unharmed,” she explains. “My work sits at the intersection of cancer immunology, gene therapy, and translational medicine.”
A gifted researcher, Kaur draws on her experience as an educator to communicate her findings to a lay audience. In her Grad Slam 3-minute thesis presentation, in which students have only three minutes to share their research, Kaur effortlessly explains how this complicated science works. She uses the analogy of a police officer and his faithful dog to describe the science:
“Imagine CRAD as a special officer with a specialized key, PK7, to unlock these tumor cells, and once inside, our specialized canine, K9S, confirms the cancer, and then, officer CRAD destroys the tumor cells. But more importantly, it also calls those guard cells to the tumor site and recognizes it for the future attacks,” she says.
Her presentation earned her first place at the CSUSB Grad Slam competition as well as the People’s Choice Award at the CSU system-wide event.
While Kaur’s research journey is remarkable, she is not new to scientific study. She earned her B.Sc. in Biotechnology from Kurukshetra University, India, followed by an M.Sc. in Biotechnology from Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, graduating with honors. For five years she worked as a postgraduate biology teacher, helping high school students prepare for medical entrance and science Olympiad examinations.
“My early research in plant genetic engineering using Agrobacterium tumefaciens laid the foundation for my deep passion for molecular and genetic science,” she says.
CRAd-S-pk7 is slated for clinical trials this year. While Kaur will not be involved in the trials, she looks forward to learning of the results.
Kaur’s work has been published in two academic journals, and after graduation in fall 2026, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. and continue her research. Ultimately, she hopes to become a professor, and “get back to my passion of teaching while pursuing research in women’s cancer.”
“I’m thankful for the CIRM Bridges program at CSUSB,” Kaur says. “It matched me to a cancer research lab at City of Hope under the supervision of Dr. Aboody, and I’m really thankful for (CIRM Director) Dr. Nicole Bourneas and my PI Dr. Laura Newcomb for giving me this opportunity.”