Ludwig Lausanne's Ping-Chih Ho Elected AAAS Fellow

Immunometabolism researcher recognized for distinguished contributions to cancer therapy

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:40am

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Ping-Chih Ho, a leader in the field of immunometabolism at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and the University of Lausanne, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Ho is recognized for his groundbreaking work elucidating the role of immune cell metabolism in anti-tumor immunity and advancing novel cancer therapies.

Why it matters

Ho's election to the prestigious AAAS Fellowship highlights the growing importance of immunometabolism research in the fight against cancer. His discoveries have shed light on how the metabolic adaptations of tumors can induce dysfunction in immune cells, and his work has identified new therapeutic approaches to disrupt these mechanisms and bolster the body's natural anti-cancer defenses.

The details

Through his studies, Ho has established fundamental principles of immunometabolism and identified ways in which metabolic interactions between immune cells and tumors can be targeted for cancer treatment. His team has shown how the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria in T cells can lead to a state of "terminal exhaustion" that prevents them from killing cancer cells, and they have developed a candidate antibody drug that can disrupt this process. Additionally, Ho's lab has identified a specific mode of fat uptake by immune cells within tumors that serves as a metabolic checkpoint against anti-cancer immune responses, and they have developed an antibody drug, PLT012, that is now in clinical trials for the treatment of liver cancer.

  • Ho will be inducted into the AAAS during a ceremony in Washington D.C. on May 29, 2026.

The players

Ping-Chih Ho

A member of the Lausanne Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and a full professor at the University of Lausanne, Ho is a leader in the field of immunometabolism and has made distinguished contributions to the development of novel cancer therapies.

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

A prestigious scientific society that elects Fellows to recognize those whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science, or its applications, are scientifically or socially distinguished.

Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

An international non-profit organization dedicated to understanding and controlling cancer through integrated laboratory and clinical discovery.

University of Lausanne

A public research university located in Lausanne, Switzerland, where Ping-Chih Ho holds a full professorship.

Pilatus

A biotech startup spun out of Ping-Chih Ho's laboratory in partnership with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, which is currently evaluating the PLT012 antibody drug in clinical trials in the U.S.

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What’s next

Ho will be inducted into the AAAS during a ceremony in Washington D.C. on May 29, 2026.

The takeaway

Ping-Chih Ho's election to the prestigious AAAS Fellowship underscores the growing importance of immunometabolism research in the fight against cancer. His groundbreaking discoveries have identified new therapeutic targets and approaches to disrupt the metabolic interactions between tumors and the immune system, paving the way for more effective cancer treatments.