Rubul Mout, PhD

I am dedicated to advancing the science of immune development and function through computational protein design. My laboratory focuses on modulating system-wide signaling pathways in the immune system, with the goal of enhancing immune cell function to better combat cancer, autoimmune diseases, and viral infections. We are currently designing multi-signaling protein complexes to control dendritic and T cell development and function, aiming to develop novel cancer vaccines and immunotherapies.  
 
My journey in science began in a remote village in Assam, India, where the loss of my science teacher to cancer inspired me to pursue research that saves lives and supports underprivileged students who lack access to quality science education. This early experience shaped my commitment to making a difference both in the lab and in the broader community. Later, during my postdoctoral training in David Baker’s lab at the University of Washington, I learned de novo protein design, a transformative technology that empowered me to develop new approaches for tackling cancer, aging, and infectious diseases.  
 
My research has contributed to pioneering advances in protein design, including work recognized with the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. During my fellowship at Harvard, I developed computationally designed de novo soluble agonists for activating the Notch signaling pathway, a longstanding challenge in cellular signaling and developmental biology. These agonists helped develop T cells from hematopoietic stem cells and activated T cells during vaccination to boost cell-based immunity.  
 
I have co-authored more than 40 research articles and hold multiple patents in gene editing, protein design, and T-cell engineering, with publications in Cell, Nature, PNAS, ACS Nano, and others. My work has been featured in media outlets including a LabTV/NIH mini documentary and an American Chemical Society feature video. I am honored to have received the Washington Research Foundation Innovation Fellowship and a National Institutes of Health T32 training grant, among others. My commitment remains to harness innovative science to improve health outcomes and to inspire the next generation of researchers.