Otto Kletzien, PhD

Position title: Scientist I

Email: okletzien@pediatrics.wisc.edu

Address:
Division of Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant

Education

BS, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin  
PhD, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colorado  
Postdoctoral Fellowship, McGill University, Montreal, Canada 

Professional Activities

Dr. Otto Kletzien is scientist I in the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant. Kletzien works under Rebecca Richards, MD, PhD, to help develop CAR-T therapies for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He is currently working to design, optimize, and characterize NOT-Gated CARs through multiple cell-based assays, as well as additional in vivo studies of CAR-T efficacy. Kletzien’s previous research focused on in vitro characterization of RNA-binding proteins. He is excited to apply my biochemistry skillset toward generating stronger CAR-T therapies. 

Research Interests

Kletzien is interested in optimizing NOT-gated CAR-T therapies that kill tumor cells while sparing bystander cells. He is also interested in probing the cytokine milieu of CAR-AML interactions and identifying potential secreted factors that inhibit CAR-T activity.