Fundamentals of engineered T cell therapies: From basic design to bells and whistles

T cells endowed with defined antigen specificity by provision of monoclonal T cell receptors (TCR) or synthetic Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) have established themselves as a potent drug class with several such products now commercially available. This review addresses fundamental aspects of the design of engineered TCR and CAR T therapies. Beyond the basic design features, we touch upon several additional strategies that have been developed or are currently in pre-clinical development to enhance the efficacy or safety of such therapies. Within the vast and quickly growing space of T cell engineering, this discussion is not all-encompassing but aims to lay a foundation for other reviews in the series that delve into more focused aspects of T cell therapy.