GW researchers developed a cell therapy manufacturing platform that avoids genetic engineering and activates immune cells against multiple, patient-specific target antigens simultaneously. A sample of a patient’s cancer cells obtained by surgery or biopsy is treated with photothermal therapy (PTT) in vitro, delivered by Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) at an immunogenic thermal dose. Immune cells (e.g. T cells, NK cells) from the patient are then exposed to the PBNP-PTT-treated cancer cells in vitro to activate them against multiple patient-specific, tumor antigens. The activated immune cells are then re-infused to the patient. Preliminary ex vivo data and studies in xenograft animal models show superior specificity of T cells generated through this novel immuno-engineered platform against glioblastoma, over T cells generated through traditional methods.