Cancer research was never the plan for Matthew Kudek, MD, assistant professor at MCW and pediatric oncologist at Children’s Wisconsin (CW). As an undergraduate, he set his sights on becoming a biomedical engineer, fascinated by invention and motivated by the challenge of creating new technologies. But his perspective shifted as he discovered how engineering tools could be applied to medicine, and the path became clear years later when a cutting-edge cancer therapy saved his father’s life. “His journey made me realize I wanted to be part of the progress that gives people more days, more years, more milestones to celebrate,” said Dr. Kudek.
Today, Dr. Kudek blends the logic of engineering with the urgency of medicine. His lab investigates how the immune system responds after stem cell transplantation, aiming to understand complications like graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and translate those insights into safer, more precise treatments for children with blood cancers. This work is extended through his leadership at CW’s COMPASS Clinic, which uses genetic and molecular testing to match young patients with the most targeted therapies available. From the lab to the clinic, Dr. Kudek is focused on solving his greatest challenge yet: finding better ways to treat children with cancer and safeguard their long-term health.
“In pediatrics, our goal is a cure and a long, meaningful life. It is not enough for kids to survive cancer–we have to think about the impact on their health decades from now,” said Dr. Kudek.
Inventing Solutions with Lasting Impact
A central focus of Dr. Kudek’s lab is GVHD, a dangerous complication of stem cell transplantation in which donor immune cells attack the patient’s tissues. The gut is one of the organs most affected, and injury there often drives how severe the disease becomes. In 2025, Dr. Kudek and colleagues published findings in Science Translational Medicine showing the gut is not only a target of GVHD but also a source of protection. They discovered that a signaling protein made by the intestinal lining, interleukin-34 (IL-34), can reprogram macrophages–immune cells that can either fuel or reduce inflammation. With IL-34, macrophages shifted to protect rather than damage tissue, reducing gut injury and improving survival in mice. Patient biopsies confirmed the same pathway is active in people.
“We used to think of the gut as just a barrier,” explained Dr. Kudek. “But it is an active immune organ, sending signals that can mean the difference between recovery and serious complications. If we can harness those signals, we can improve transplant outcomes and, ultimately, cancer therapies.”
Building on this discovery, the team is now mapping how different immune and tissue cells communicate during GVHD. By understanding these interactions, they aim to design therapies that can prevent harmful responses and make stem cell and other cellular therapies safer and more effective, particularly for children who depend on them as part of their cancer treatment. This work is supported by the National Institutes of Health, American Cancer Society, Children’s Research Institute, and Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation, reflecting broad recognition of its potential to change the future of transplantation and cancer care.
Dr. Kudek is also advancing national conversations around precision oncology, which matches treatments to the genetic or molecular features of a patient’s tumor. In a 2025 Trends in Cancer article, co-authored with Dr. Razelle Kurzrock who leads the Rare Cancer and Precision Medicine Clinic, he noted that most targeted therapies are approved only for adults with certain tumor types, leaving children excluded even when their cancers carry the same biomarker. The authors called for “ag(e)nostic” approvals, making these therapies available across both tumor types and age groups.
This push is shaped by the unique realities of pediatric cancer. Children are not just “small adults”—they metabolize drugs differently, face distinctive long-term risks, and often lack the treatment options available to older patients. Dr. Kudek sees precision medicine as a way to change that equation, making therapies both safer and more effective for the youngest patients.
“Nearly all pediatric cancers are rare, and that makes equitable access essential,” he said. “We need to ensure the newest therapies aren’t just available to adults but to every patient who stands to benefit.”
Carrying Forward the Work of “Giants”
For Dr. Kudek, the research is inseparable from the patients. That philosophy is one reason MCW and CW are the right place for his work. The collaborative environment provides the infrastructure and partnerships needed to take discoveries from the lab to the clinic faster. He credits mentors including Drs. William Drobyski, David Margolis, and Calvin Williams, among many others, with shaping his development as a physician-scientist. Their guidance showed him the value of asking bold questions, pursuing science with rigor, and always keeping patients at the center.
Today, he is deeply committed to offering that same support to trainees, providing not only technical skills but also the perspective needed to build a meaningful career in cancer research. “We stand on the shoulders of giants,” he said. “My hope is that my work, and the work of those I mentor, leads to breakthroughs that give kids the chance to live the lives they deserve.”
Collaboration, he added, is what makes discovery possible. That spirit will be amplified as he moves his team to the new MCW Center for Cancer Discovery (CCD), the first and only research facility in eastern Wisconsin solely dedicated to cancer research. Dr. Kudek’s lab will be co-located with collaborators like Dr. Drobyski, creating opportunities for shared ideas and new partnerships.
“There is going to be a great energy in the CCD. Having my lab next to collaborators means more discussions, more engagement, and more discoveries,” said Dr. Kudek. “Walking in and seeing the words ‘Discovery Changing Life’ is powerful. It reminds us every day why we do this.”
Learn more about Dr. Kudek.