In Memoriam: Dr. Anahid Jewett

Anahid Jewett, M.P.H., Ph.D., a UCLA School of Dentistry faculty member for the past 26 years and director of the Tumor Immunology Laboratory, passed away on Sunday, June 15. She was 66.

In her honor, UCLA will lower the flag at Dickson Court to half-staff on Wednesday, August 7.

Dr. Jewett joined the School of Dentistry in 1999, where she embarked on an extraordinary career as a faculty member in the Division of Biosystems and Function, rising to the rank of professor in 2008. She was a member of the Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, the Dental and Craniofacial Research Institute, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. A native of Tehran, Iran, with Armenian ancestry, she also served as chair of the School's Faculty Executive Committee from 2022 to 2024.

“Dr. Jewett was a brilliant scientist and a generous mentor whose passion for discovery and dedication to her students left a lasting mark on our School,” said Dr. Paul H. Krebsbach, dean and professor. “Her contributions to cancer immunotherapy and oral health science are profound, and she will be deeply missed.”

Dr. Jewett’s scientific legacy is defined by her pioneering research in natural killer (NK) cells and their ability to uniquely target poorly differentiated tumor cells while sparing healthy, differentiated tissue, providing critical insight into the immune system’s selective capacity. The Tumor Immunology Lab became a recognized leader in advancing super-charged NK cells for cancer immunotherapy, including their use in combination treatments with chemotherapeutic drugs or immune checkpoint inhibitors. These innovations led to several patents licensed by biotech firms that are advancing toward clinical trials.

She also made impactful contributions to oral health research, studying the cytotoxic effects of common dental resin monomers and identifying immune interactions with oral pathogens. Her patented work on immune-modulating probiotics, diagnostic NK assays, and cannabinoid-mediated tumor suppression further underscored the breadth of her scientific creativity. Dr. Jewett’s peer-reviewed publications have been cited nearly 8,000 times.

Dr. Jewett’s commitment to mentorship was also remarkable. Over more than a quarter-century at UCLA, she directly supervised more than 190 trainees, including Ph.D. candidates, postdoctoral fellows, dental and medical students, and undergraduate researchers. Many of her former mentees now serve as faculty or researchers at institutions across the globe.

She served on NIH study sections, editorial boards for high-impact journals, and advisory committees for multiple scientific organizations. She also chaired key faculty governance bodies at the School of Dentistry, including the Appointments, Promotions, and Appraisals Committee.

After obtaining a pair of bachelor’s degrees, Dr. Jewett arrived at UCLA in the mid-1980s and earned an M.P.H. in Infectious Disease Epidemiology in 1987, followed by her Ph.D. in Immunology in 1993.

Dr. Jewett is survived by her husband of 42 years, Keith, as well as her mother, three siblings, two sisters in law, four nieces, and two nephews.