A new study in Engineering describes approaches to glycocalyx engineering for adoptive cell therapies targeting B lymphoma. The report frames glycocalyx modification as a way to address limitations seen in cellular immunotherapies, including high treatment costs and antigen specificity constraints. The authors focus on live-cell glycocalyx engineering techniques, positioning the work as a practical pathway to modify cell-surface properties before or during adoptive manufacturing. The paper’s emphasis on “live-cell” methods targets the translation gap between lab observations and therapy-relevant cell preparation.