Ussama M. Abdel-Motal, PhD

Principal Scientist, Regenerative Medicine & Immunology

Dr. Ussama M. Abdel-Motal is an accomplished scientist with extensive experience in immunology, cellular and gene therapy, cancer immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine. He currently serves as Principal Scientist of Regenerative Medicine and Immunology at Innate Healthcare Institute, where he provides scientific leadership in regenerative medicine and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based programs.

Dr. Abdel-Motal earned his PhD in Immunology from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. He subsequently completed postdoctoral research at the University of North Carolina, further developing his expertise in immunology and immune regulation.

Early in his career, Dr. Abdel-Motal conducted research at Harvard Medical School’s NEPRC, where his work focused on immunology and infectious disease research. This marked the beginning of several periods of research at Harvard-affiliated institutions throughout his scientific career.

Dr. Abdel-Motal later served as an Instructor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where his research included viral immunology, vaccines, and cancer immunotherapy. He subsequently brought his academic and translational research experience to the biotechnology industry, serving in senior scientific and leadership roles at Mustang Bio, with a focus on cellular immunotherapy.

Throughout his career, Dr. Abdel-Motal returned to Harvard-affiliated research institutions on multiple occasions, including two periods at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His work at Dana-Farber included cellular and gene therapy, cancer immunology, and the development and evaluation of innovative therapeutic approaches.

While at Harvard, Dr. Abdel-Motal was recognized for extraordinary ability in the sciences based on his demonstrated achievements and sustained contributions to scientific research.
At Innate Healthcare Institute, Dr. Abdel-Motal oversees the scientific aspects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) programs, including cell characterization and evaluation. He brings his extensive expertise in immunology and cellular therapy to support and advance Innate’s regenerative medicine programs.

Throughout his career, Dr. Abdel-Motal has worked at the intersection of basic immunology, translational research, and therapeutic development, with a focus on advancing innovative cellular therapies and translating scientific discoveries toward meaningful clinical applications.