Research Summary

Dr. William Temple is a clinical-translational physician-scientist with expertise in pediatric blood & marrow transplantation (BMT), cancer immunotherapy, and pediatric oncology. He is focused on translating novel immunotherapies from the bench to the bedside in the form of first-in-human and first-in-child clinical trials for patients with aggressive malignancies. He is particularly interested in correlative biology analyses to evaluate biomarkers of response and resistance to new cancer immunotherapy products. He has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, American Society of Hematology, American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. He is an attending physician at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in both San Francisco and Oakland.

Research Funding

  • July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026 - , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Institute of Regenerative Medicine Alpha Stem Cell Clinic - Physician-Scientist Fellowship Renewal, Sponsor Award ID:
  • July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2026 - , Trainee on grant . Sponsor: Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation - Center of Excellence Scholar, Sponsor Award ID:
  • July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2026 - , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy "New Investigator Award", Sponsor Award ID:
  • July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 - , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Institute of Regenerative Medicine Alpha Stem Cell Clinic - Physician-Scientist Fellowship, Sponsor Award ID:
  • July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 - CD72 nanoCARs for treatment of relapsed/refractory B cell malignancies , . Sponsor: American Society of Hematology - Research Training Award for Fellows, Sponsor Award ID:
  • July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2023 - CD72 Nanobody-based CAR-T cells for relapsed/refractory B cell malignancies , . Sponsor: Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Physician-Scientist Fellowship Program, Sponsor Award ID:
  • July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2022 - CD72 Nanobody-based CAR-T cells for relapsed/refractory B cell malignancies , Trainee on the grant . Sponsor: NIH T32 - Research Training in Childhood Cancer, Sponsor Award ID:

Education

07/2024 - Advanced Fellow, Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplantation and Immunotherapy, UC San Francisco
06/2023 - Postdoctoral Scholar, Cancer Immunotherapy, UC San Francisco
07/2022 - Clinical Fellow, Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, UC San Francisco
06/2019 - Pediatrics Residency, UC San Francisco
M.D., 05/2016 - Medicine, UC San Francisco
B.S., 06/2011 - Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA

Honors & Awards

  • Physician-Scientist Fellowship, California Institute of Regenerative Medicine Alpha Stem Cell Clinic Renewal, 2025-2026
  • New Investigator Award, American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, 2024-2026
  • Center of Excellence Scholar, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, 2024-2025
  • Physician-Scientist Fellowship, California Institute of Regenerative Medicine Alpha Stem Cell Clinic, 2024-2025
  • Clinical Research Training Institute Scholar, American Society of Hematology, 2023-2024
  • Research Training Award for Fellows, American Society of Hematology, 2022-2023
  • Physician-Scientist Fellowship Program Fellow, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, 2020-2023
  • Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Physician-Scientist Fellowship Program Fellow, University of California, San Francisco, 2020-2023
  • 2018 House Staff Teaching Award, Honorable Mention, UCSF Pediatrics Residency, University of California, San Francisco, 2017-2018
  • Clinical and Translational Research Pathway, UCSF Pediatrics Residency Program, University of California, San Francisco, 2016-2019
  • Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (Highest honors, given to top 16% of UCSF graduating class), University of California, San Francisco, 2012-2016
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Research Scholarship, University of California, Los Angeles, 2009-2011
  • Cell Therapy Training Course Scholar at University of Pennsylvania, International Society of Cell & Gene Therapy and American Society of Transplantation & Cell Therapy, 2023
  • Employee of the Month – UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Hematology/Oncology Unit, University of California, San Francisco, 2020
  • Magna Cum Laude Graduate (Top 10% of UCLA graduating class), University of California, Los Angeles, 2011
  • Phi Beta Kappa (Top 7% of UCLA graduating class), University of California, Los Angeles, 2011
  • Undergraduate Research Week Honoree, University of California, Los Angeles, 2011

Selected Publications

  1. Izgutdina A, Rashid T, Temple WC, Patiño-Escobar B, Walunj S, Geng H, Takamatsu H, Gil-Alós D, Kang AS, Ramos E, Chen SY, Johnson H, Nix MA, Naik A, Yuan CM, Wang HW, Aminov S, Sahu S, Larson RC, Carpenter C, Salangsang F, Phojanakong P, Camara Serrano JA, Tariq I, Zakraoui O, Steri V, Valeri A, Martinez-Lopez J, Maus MV, Parekh S, Verma A, Shah NN, Wiita AP. Affinity-matured CD72-targeting Nanobody CAR T-cells Enhance Elimination of Antigen-Low B-cell Malignancies. bioRxiv. 2025 May 15.  View on PubMed
  2. 11. Izgutdina A, Rashid T, Patino B, Walunj S, Geng H, Kang A, Chen S, Johnson H, Temple WC, Nix MA, Naik A, Ramos E, Takamatsu H, Gil Alós D, Martinez-Lopez J, Valeri A, Yuan C, Wang H, Aminov S, Carpenter C, Salangsang F, Phojanakong P, Serrano JAC, Tariq I, Steri V, Parekh S, Verma A, Shah NN, Wiita AP. . Proceedings of the AACR. Anti-CD72 nanobody-based CAR-T affinity maturation leads to improved in vitro efficacy versus low antigen density lymphoma models, but limited benefit in vivo. 2025.  View on PubMed
  3. Werner J, Lee AG, Zhang C, Abelson S, Xirenayi S, Rivera J, Yousuf K, Shin H, Patiño-Escobar B, Bachl S, Mandal K, Barpanda A, Ramos E, Izgutdina A, Chaudhuri S, Temple WC, Bhatnagar S, Dardis JK, Meyer J, Morales C, Meshinchi S, Loh ML, Braun B, Tasian SK, Wiita AP, Stieglitz E. Cellular immunotherapy targeting CLL-1 for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. Nat Commun. 2025 Apr 23; 16(1):3804.  View on PubMed
  4. Dvorak CC, Cho S, Salinas Cisneros G, Higham CS, Chu J, Winestone LE, Temple WC, Kharbanda S, Shimano KA, Avagyan S, Pauerstein PT, Huang JN, Cheng G, Lalefar N, Aguayo-Hiraldo P, Keizer RJ, Pulsipher MA, Long-Boyle JR. High Melphalan Exposure Increases the Risk of Graft-Versus-Host Disease in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Alpha-Beta T-Cell Depleted Haploidentical Transplantation. Transplant Cell Ther. 2025 Apr 02.  View on PubMed
  5. 10. Salinas Cisneros G, Long-Boyle J, Temple WC, Chu J, Avagyan S, Winestone LE, Higham CS, Shimano KA, Huang JN, Hermiston M, Kharbanda S, Dvorak CC. 2025. Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR. High Exposure of Intravenous Alemtuzumab Is Associated with Increased Risk of Double-Stranded DNA Viral Infections in Patients with Non-Malignant Disease Undergoing Allogeneic HCT. 2025.  View on PubMed
  6. 8. Dvorak CC, Temple WC, Salinas Cisneros G, Chu J, Winestone LE, Higham CS, Shimano KA, Kharbanda S, Avagyan S, Hermiston M, Huang JN, Long-Boyle J. . Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR. Fludarabine Pharmacokinetic-Model-Based Dosing Minimizes the Risk of Graft Rejection in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Mismatched Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. 2025.  View on PubMed
  7. 9. Dvorak CC, Temple WC, Salinas Cisneros G, Chu J, Winestone LE, Higham CS, Shimano KA, Kharbanda S, Avagyan S, Hermiston M, Huang JN, Long-Boyle J.. Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR. Younger Children Have Increased Mixed Myeloid Chimerism with Busulfan-Based Conditioning for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation of Non-Malignant Disease Malignant Disease. 2025.  View on PubMed
  8. Dvorak CC, Temple WC, Cisneros GS, Chu J, Winestone LE, Higham CS, Shimano KA, Kharbanda S, Avagyan S, Pauerstein P, Huang JN, Cheng G, Waters E, Winger BA, Cowan MJ, Long-Boyle JR. Younger children with nonmalignant disease have increased incidence of mixed myeloid chimerism after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation with busulfan-based conditioning. Transplant Cell Ther. 2025 Apr; 31(4):259.e1-259.e15.  View on PubMed
  9. William C. Temple, Adila Izgutdina, Matthew A. Nix, Benjamin J. Huang, Paul Phojanakong,
    Juan Antonio Camara Serrano, Fernando Salangsang, Veronica Steri, Simayijiang Xirenayi, Elliot Stieglitz, Arun P. Wiita
    . Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR. Preclinical Development and Characterization of Humanized Anti-CD72 Nanobody Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells for B Cell Malignancies. 2024.  View on PubMed
  10. Izgutdina A, Temple WC, Nix MA, Geng H, Ramos E, Naik A, Larson R, Salangsang F, Phojanakong P, Serrano JAC, Zakraoui O, Tariq I, Maus MV, Steri V, Wiita AP. . American Society of Hematology. San Diego, CA. December 2023. Affinity Matured CD72 NanoCAR-T Improves Efficacy Versus Low Antigen Density B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Models. 2023.  View on PubMed
  11. Temple WC, Nix MA, Naik A, Izgutdina A, Huang BJ, Wicaksono G, Phojanakong P, Serrano JAC, Young EP, Ramos E, Salangsang F, Steri V, Xirenayi S, Hermiston M, Logan AC, Stieglitz E, Wiita AP. Framework humanization optimizes potency of anti-CD72 nanobody CAR-T cells for B-cell malignancies. J Immunother Cancer. 2023 11 24; 11(11).  View on PubMed
  12. Shumock SS, Temple WC, Marinoff A, Aaronson K, Southworth E, Xirenayi S, Lee AG, Leung SG, Sweet-Cordero EA, Hermiston M, Higham C, Stieglitz E. Pre-and post-HSCT use of TKI therapy for fusion-driven B-ALL: A case series of five pediatric, adolescent and young adult patients. Cancer Rep (Hoboken). 2023 12; 6(12):e1901.  View on PubMed
  13. Mandal K, Wicaksono G, Yu C, Adams JJ, Hoopmann MR, Temple WC, Izgutdina A, Escobar BP, Gorelik M, Ihling CH, Nix MA, Naik A, Xie WH, Hübner J, Rollins LA, Reid SM, Ramos E, Kasap C, Steri V, Serrano JAC, Salangsang F, Phojanakong P, McMillan M, Gavallos V, Leavitt AD, Logan AC, Rooney CM, Eyquem J, Sinz A, Huang BJ, Stieglitz E, Smith CC, Moritz RL, Sidhu SS, Huang L, Wiita AP. Structural surfaceomics reveals an AML-specific conformation of integrin β2 as a CAR T cellular therapy target. Nat Cancer. 2023 11; 4(11):1592-1609.  View on PubMed
  14. Temple WC, Mueller S, Hermiston ML, Burkhardt B. Diagnosis and management of lymphoblastic lymphoma in children, adolescents and young adults. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol. 2023 03; 36(1):101449.  View on PubMed
  15. Kamal Mandal, Gianina Wicaksono, Clinton Yu, Jarrett J Adams, Michael R Hoopmann,
    William C Temple, Bonell Patino Escobar, Maryna Gorelik, Christian Ihling, Matthew A Nix, Akul Naik, Emilio Ramos, Corynn Kasap, Veronica Steri, Juan Antonio Camara Serrano, Fernando Salangsang, Paul Phojanakong, Melanie McMillan, Victor Gavallos, Andrew D Leavitt, Andrea Sinz, Benjamin J. Huang, Elliot Stieglitz, Catherine Smith, Robert L Moritz,
    Sachdeva S Sidhu, Lan Huang, Arun P Wiita. Blood. Structural Surfaceomics Reveals an AML-Specific Conformation of Integrin-β2 As an Immunotherapeutic Target. 2022.  View on PubMed
  16. William C Temple, Gianina Wicaksono, Akul Naik, Adila Izgutdina, Matthew A Nix, Elizabeth Young, Paul Phojanakong, Juan Antonio Camara Serrano, Veronica Steri,
    Fernando Salangsang, Arun P Wiita. Blood. Humanized Nanobody Anti-CD72 CAR-T Cells Efficiently Eliminate B-Cell Malignancies Via Improved Affinity for CD72 but Induce Persistent Antigen Downregulation In Vivo. 2022.  View on PubMed
  17. W. Temple, M. Nix, G. Wicaksono, D. Wang, P. Phojanakong, V. Steri, B. Hann, M. Hermiston, A. Wiita. Leukemia Research. CD72 nanobody CAR-T cells have potent antitumor efficacy in B cell malignancies. 2022; 121:S8.  View on PubMed
  18. Liu G, Poon M, Zapala MA, Temple WC, Vo KT, Matthay KK, Mitra D, Seo Y. Incorporating Radiomics into Machine Learning Models to Predict Outcomes of Neuroblastoma. J Digit Imaging. 2022 06; 35(3):605-612.  View on PubMed
  19. Matthew A Nix, William C Temple, William Karlon, Donghui Wang, Paul Phojanakong, Veronica Steri, Byron Hann, Arun P Wiita. Blood. CD72 Nanobody-Based CAR-T Cells Have Potent Anti-Tumor Efficacy in B Cell Malignancies. 2021; (138 (Suppl):1717.  View on PubMed
  20. Temple WC, Vo KT, Matthay KK, Balliu B, Coleman C, Michlitsch J, Phelps A, Behr S, Zapala MA. Association of image-defined risk factors with clinical features, histopathology, and outcomes in neuroblastoma. Cancer Med. 2021 04; 10(7):2232-2241.  View on PubMed

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