Mulu Z. Tesfay

Assistant Professor

UAMS

Also affiliated: Louisiana State University (2007); Mayo Clinic (2013–2015); University of Arkansas Medical Center (2022–2026); Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport (2007–2008)

COM | Pathology Research Faculty

9 h-index 30 pubs 500 cited

Research Areas

Biomedical Subjects

Links

ORCID Research Group UAMS TRI Profile

OverviewAI-generated summary

Mulu Z. Tesfay's research focuses on investigating the tumor microenvironment as a therapeutic target, particularly in pancreatic cancer. His work explores strategies to overcome resistance to oncolytic virotherapy by targeting stromal components and enhancing immune responses. Tesfay has also examined the repurposing of existing vaccines, such as the MMR vaccine, for cancer immunotherapy. His publications include studies on engineered oncolytic viruses to combat cancer defenses and the enhancement of immune responses in hepatocellular carcinoma through novel oncolytic viruses combined with immune checkpoint blockade.

His research extends to viral immunity, with a publication on boosting SARS-CoV-2 immunity in nonhuman primates using an oral rhabdoviral vaccine. Tesfay's work involves both animal models and cell lines, with a h-index of 9 and over 460 citations across 30 publications. He collaborates with several researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, including Khandoker Usran Ferdous, Martin J. Cannon, Alexei G. Basnakian, and Steven R. Post.

Metrics

h-index: 9
Publications: 30
Citations: 500

Positions

Assistant Professor 2025–present

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences COM | Pathology Research Faculty Institutional directory

Selected Publications

CMTM6-Silencing Microbial Immunotherapy Reprograms PDAC Tumors and Restores T-cell Function (2026)

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) DOI OpenAlex
Pancreatic tumor microenvironment reprogramming via alloantigen-expressing virotherapy elicits tumor rejection and improves immunotherapy response (2026)

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer DOI OpenAlex
Multimodal reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment by MMR and dual checkpoint blockade in hepatocellular carcinoma models (2025)

Frontiers in Immunology 1 citation DOI OpenAlex
Abstract B022: Reprogramming Apoptotic Resistance in PDAC Through Synthetic Oncolytic Immunotherapy (2025)

Cancer Research DOI OpenAlex
Viral warfare: unleashing engineered oncolytic viruses to outsmart cancer’s defenses (2025)

Frontiers in Immunology 18 citations DOI OpenAlex
Abstract 950: Engineered oncolytic vesiculovirus downsizes pancreatic tumor and boosts immune response (2025)

Cancer Research DOI OpenAlex
Abstract 2155: Phage display discovery of Trop-2 peptide for targeted liposomal chemo-immunotherapy in lung cancer (2025)

Cancer Research DOI OpenAlex
Abstract 945: Live attenuated MMR vaccines modulate tumor immune cell infiltration and synergize with standard of care to prolong survival in preclinical HCC models (2025)

Cancer Research DOI OpenAlex
Abstract 947: Engineering a synthetic oncolytic virus to overcome apoptotic resistance and induce immunogenic cell death in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (2025)

Cancer Research DOI OpenAlex
Resistance signatures to oncolytic vesiculoviruses in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (2025)

Molecular Therapy Oncology 3 citations DOI OpenAlex
Enhancing immune response and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma with novel oncolytic Jurona virus and immune checkpoint blockade (2024)

Molecular Therapy Oncology 5 citations DOI OpenAlex
Abstract B049: Oncolytic virotherapy as an effective tool to synergistically enhance therapeutic efficacy of standard systemic treatments for pancreatic cancer (2024)

Cancer Research DOI OpenAlex
Enhancing Neoadjuvant Virotherapy’s Effectiveness by Targeting Stroma to Improve Resectability in Pancreatic Cancer (2024)

Biomedicines 6 citations DOI OpenAlex
Abstract 588: Preclinical evaluation of novel chimeric vesiculovirus mediated expression of proteolytic enzymes targeting two major stromal components of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (2024)

Cancer Research DOI OpenAlex
Abstract 5004: Oncolytic Jurona-driven systemic and intratumoral immunotherapy combined with immune checkpoint blockade boost immune response and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma models (2024)

Cancer Research DOI OpenAlex