Researcher Spotlight: Mengyang Di, MD, PhD

University of Washington

Runge Lymphoma Project Scholar

Mosunetuzumab is a novel bispecific T cell engager used in the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL). “Unfortunately, lymphoma still returns in most patients after mosunetuzumab, and many develop side effects related to the activation of their immune system,” explains Dr. Di. “These side effects may require admission to the hospital or intensive care unit and may sometimes be life-threatening.” Dr. Di’s research, therefore, aims to determine whether the addition of the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, pirtobrutinib—which has been shown to have immune-modulating effects—can increase the effectiveness and tolerability of mosunetuzumab alone. “If successful, it will provide a very promising treatment option for relapsed/refractory FL,” she says.

Through the connections she has made through the Lymphoma Clinical Research Mentoring Program, Dr. Di has already received meaningful guidance that has led to important changes in the design of her clinical trial, which she expects will improve the effectiveness and safety of treatment. “Through the workshop, I not only obtained very helpful suggestions on improving the design of my current project, but also I received great advice on potential opportunities for collaborations on outcomes research and quality of life studies,” she adds.

Dr. Di completed her medical training at Peking Union Medical College and her graduate training at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is currently an assistant professor in the lymphoma service at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. As a clinical researcher, Dr. Di aims to drive therapeutic innovation and improve the quality of life for patients with FL.