Santiago Correa Receives Pershing Square Sohn Award for Next-Generation CAR-T Therapies

Columbia University biomedical engineering researcher Santiago Correa, PhD, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize. The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance, a program of The Pershing Square Foundation, announced 13 winners this year, with each awardee receiving a $750,000 grant to support innovative cancer research. 

Correa is an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia University and serves as assistant director of education and training at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC). His research focuses on developing injectable biomaterials designed to enhance the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy- one of the most promising advances in cancer treatment. 

Giving CAR-T Cells Long-Lasting Support 

CAR-T cell therapy works by genetically programming a patient’s own immune cells to recognize and attack tumors, leading to remarkable recoveries in some patients with otherwise untreatable cancers. However, for many, these responses are not durable. Over time, the engineered cells can disappear or lose function, allowing cancer to return. 

With support from the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize, Correa’s team will develop soft, injectable materials that mimic the environment of a lymph node- where immune cells naturally activate, expand, and form long-term memory. By delivering CAR-T cells into these engineered environments, the goal is to help them survive longer, multiply more effectively, and provide sustained protection against cancer. 

The team will also explore whether these biomaterials could be used to generate CAR-T cells directly inside the body, potentially reducing the need for complex and costly laboratory manufacturing processes. 

“The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize gives me the freedom to pursue an ambitious new direction in my research program by merging materials science and cell immunotherapy to push the boundaries of what CAR-T therapies can do,” says Correa. 

Building Momentum in Cancer Immunotherapy Research 

Correa’s work was initially funded by a pilot program from the HICCC and has previously been recognized with the NIH Trailblazer Award, the Beckman Young Investigator Award, and the Emerging Investigator Award from the Northeast Bioengineering Conference. He has also been featured in Cell Press Matter’s “35+1 Under 35” and Nature Cancer’s “The 2023 Generation,” highlighting emerging leaders in the field. 

“From my perspective, innovation is what happens when you apply your expertise in a new context,” Correa adds. “Real impact comes when those new approaches change the way we study problems or how treatments are carried out in the clinic.” 

The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize is designed to empower early-career investigators to pursue bold, high-impact ideas at a critical stage when traditional funding is often limited. In addition to financial support, the Alliance provides opportunities for recipients to present their work to scientific and business audiences, fostering collaboration and helping bridge the gap between academia and industry.