#  Judith Agudo: Solving the Puzzles of Immunology 

 



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“How amazing is it that you’re solving puzzles and at the same time you have this huge impact?...That's what I wanted to do.”

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

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*Written by Isabella Del Priore*



 

As a third grader in science class in Barcelona, Spain, Judith Agudo sat in awe as her teacher described Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of penicillin, an antibiotic that has saved millions of lives. Though her nine-year-old self didn’t realize it at the time, looking back, this was the moment that Dr. Agudo fell in love with science. **“How amazing is it that you’re solving puzzles and at the same time you have this huge impact?” she recalls. “That’s what I wanted to do.”**

Currently, within the **Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,** [**Dr. Agudo’s lab**](https://labs.dana-farber.org/agudolab/) **is trying to solve the puzzle of how immune cells interact with other cells in the body, particularly in cancer and autoimmune diseases.** Immune cells are our body’s surveillance system against unwanted invaders. By attaching to proteins on the surface of other cells, immune cells can determine whether to mount an attack. Some cancer cells, however, can escape detection. Dr. Agudo’s lab investigates how these cancer cells go undetected, with the goal of improving treatments for patients. To do this, her lab uses a unique tool that she developed as a postdoctoral fellow called the Jedi mouse. This model relies on a protein that lights up green like a lightsaber, called green fluorescent protein (GFP), to mark cells of interest. Jedi T cells can attach to these glowing GFP cells. This allows researchers to learn about what immune cells interact with. For example, Jedi T cells might attach to and kill one group of cancer cells in a tumor, but not another, which can then escape to form tumors elsewhere. Studying these interactions gives scientists clues as to how certain cancer cells evade detection by the immune system and metastasize.

The path from third grade biology to running her own lab at Dana-Farber was set in motion when, as a high schooler, Dr. Agudo was selected for a summer research program at the University of Barcelona. During this initial lab experience, she was immersed in the day-to-day of experimental design, troubleshooting, and the excitement of a positive result. This was also where she learned about the academic path of a scientist, and committed the milestones to memory: college, PhD, postdoctoral researcher, and finally, principal investigator. Reflecting on this pivotal experience, **Dr. Agudo emphasizes the importance of exposure to STEM at an early age because “you cannot fall in love with \[science\] if you don’t even know it exists.”**

Motivated by this newfound love for scientific discovery and following the academic path she had set for herself, Dr. Agudo completed her undergraduate and PhD training in Spain. On paper, she was on track for a successful scientific career. However, it was not without bumps along the way. The spark that ignited her passion for immunology as a child dulled as she encountered a less-than-inspiring immunology professor, prompting a detour from the field for her PhD, studying gene therapy instead. And moments of discouragement during graduate school lead her to question where she fit in scientifically. Yet she took the leap of faith to conduct her postdoctoral research in immunology as a Fulbright scholar at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. It was during this time in her career that she fell in love with science all over again and found her niche in studying how cells talk to each other, working together to orchestrate immunological responses against unrecognized intruders.

Along with the goal of running her own lab, equally important to Dr. Agudo was her desire to be a mother. However, it quickly became apparent that the scientific community was not quite ready to accept these two goals. Researchers that once saw her as a successful, ambitious scientist did not view her the same way when she was pregnant. **She came face-to-face with the narrative that women can’t be successful principal investigators and have a family, noting, “they make you believe it’s incompatible. At some point, you end up actually believing it.”**

On a mission to combat this narrative, Dr. Agudo, a mother of three, accepted a position to start her own lab at Harvard. Her lab would focus on immunology in cancer, an area of research she had yet to explore. She cites the culture of collaboration within the Harvard cancer research community—from brainstorming ideas to acquiring cell lines and reagents—as what has allowed her to establish herself within the cancer immunology field. Beyond the merit of her science, Dr. Agudo strives to be successful in her mentorship. During her own training she learned that mentorship is an important responsibility and can significantly shape a student’s experience. Thus, she actively works to tailor her mentorship to each individual, fostering their growth as scientists.



 

    ![Images that represent Judith Agudo](/sites/g/files/omnuum5431/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/2025-10/Judith%20Agudo%20BtB%20Image%20Collage.png?itok=9O8SvkJd) 

 



 

  

Outside of the lab, Dr. Agudo has found meaningful interactions with the oncologists who see patients directly benefitting from scientific advances. This real-world context is a constant reminder of the broader goals for studying disease. Additionally, she has connected with patient advocates who willingly share their stories with her and her lab. Noticing that many patients are curious about research, she orchestrated a patient journal club, involving a mini lecture on the basics of immunology followed by a discussion of a scientific paper. The thoughtful questions asked by the patients demonstrate their interest in and appreciation for the basic scientific research required to understand the underpinnings of disease. The members of her lab also have the opportunity to present their work to patient advocates, not only giving the trainees the platform to explain their research to a non-scientist audience but also giving the patients a peek into the inner workings of a lab.

Although she has checked off all the boxes for the career milestones she set back in high school, her successes go beyond this list. Instead, they are defined by her communities, including her family, her lab, the wider research network, oncologists, and patients. When asked what she is most proud of about her career thus far, she expresses she is proud of the people in her lab, who she has watched grow into thoughtful and successful scientists. And, she states, **“I am super proud to be here” in this community as a mother, a mentor, and a scientist.**