UBC Scientists Develop Method to Generate Helper T Cells from Stem Cells

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a method to reliably produce human helper T cells from stem cells under controlled laboratory conditions. Published in Cell Stem Cell, the study overcomes a major hurdle in the scalable production of immune cell therapies. The findings could support the creation of more accessible off‑the‑shelf treatments for cancer, autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, and other conditions. 

According to co‑senior author Peter Zandstra,  “This study addresses one of the biggest challenges in making these lifesaving treatments accessible to more people, showing for the first time a reliable and scalable way to grow multiple immune cell types.”

Engineered cell therapies, including CAR‑T treatments, reprogram human immune cells to recognize and eliminate disease. While these have produced meaningful clinical results, they remain costly and complex, as they usually rely on each patient’s own immune cells. “The long‑term goal is to have off‑the‑shelf cell therapies that are manufactured ahead of time and on a larger scale from a renewable source like stem cells,” explained co‑senior author Megan Levings.

Effective cell therapies generally rely on two immune cell types: killer T cells, which destroy cancerous or infected cells, and helper T cells, which coordinate and sustain immune responses. Although scientists have successfully generated killer T cells from stem cells, efforts to produce helper T cells had not been reliable. “Helper T cells are essential for a strong and lasting immune response,” said Dr. Levings. “It’s critical that we have both to maximize the efficacy and flexibility of off-the-shelf therapies.” 

In the new study, the UBC researchers achieved precise control over stem cell development by fine‑tuning biological signals that influence cell fate. They identified a developmental cue called Notch as key: it must be active early but reduced later to enable helper T cell formation. “By precisely tuning when and how much this signal is reduced, we were able to direct stem cells to become either helper or killer T cells,” said co‑first author Ross Jones.

The laboratory‑grown helper T cells displayed markers and behaviors of healthy, mature immune cells. “These cells look and act like genuine human helper T cells,” added co‑first author Kevin Salim.