Rayne Rouce

Dr. Rouce is a pediatric oncologist and physician scientist whose research and clinical interests focus on refractory hematologic malignancies, specifically how to harness the immune system to recognize and attack cancers. She works within the translational research laboratories of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy (CAGT) at Baylor College of Medicine, leading a translational and clinical research program creating novel early phase cell and gene therapy products and translating them to first-in-human immunotherapy trials. She has significant experience in every aspect of translation and clinical trial development, from study conception (specifically chimeric antigen receptor and virus-specific modified T cells for leukemia and lymphoma) to preclinical laboratory-based validation and ultimately clinical practice. Her work over the past few years has focused on developing novel off-the-shelf strategies to target hematologic malignancies, developing two clinical protocols using novel CARs to treat refractory T-cell leukemia and lymphoma, and enhancing access to cell and gene therapies. She leads DEI initiatives for ASGCT, ASH and ASTCT, thus integrating her passion for science and advocacy.