Mulu Z. Tesfay

Assistant Professor

UAMS

Last publication 2026 Last refreshed 2026-05-16

faculty

COM | Pathology Research Faculty

9 h-index 30 pubs 458 cited

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OverviewAI-generated summary

Mulu Z. Tesfay, Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, investigates the tumor microenvironment as a significant barrier and target in cancer therapeutics. His work focuses on oncolytic virotherapy, exploring the potential of engineered viruses to combat cancer. Recent publications highlight strategies to enhance immunotherapy effectiveness, including repurposing existing vaccines and employing novel oncolytic viruses in combination with immune checkpoint blockade for conditions such as pancreatic cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. Dr. Tesfay also studies resistance mechanisms to virotherapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. His research extends to the development of viral vaccines, with publications detailing the boosting of SARS-CoV-2 immunity in nonhuman primates using oral rhabdoviral vaccines. He has a h-index of 8, with 29 publications and 430 citations. Key collaborators include Khandoker Usran Ferdous, Martin J. Cannon, Alexei G. Basnakian, and Steven R. Post.

Metrics

h-index: 9
Publications: 30
Citations: 458

Selected Publications

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

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

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

DOI OpenAlex
Pancreatic tumor microenvironment reprogramming via alloantigen-expressing virotherapy elicits tumor rejection and improves immunotherapy response (2025)

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

4 citations DOI OpenAlex
Abstract 950: Engineered oncolytic vesiculovirus downsizes pancreatic tumor and boosts immune response (2025)

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

4 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)

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)

DOI OpenAlex