Dr. Lili Yang is Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Dr. Yang has over 25 years of experience in both basic and translational study of the immune system. Her research centers on deciphering the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating immune responses against cancer, infection, and autoimmune diseases, and exploiting this knowledge to develop innovative immunotherapies to treat these diseases. A major strength of her research program is that it both generates scientific discoveries and translates these discoveries into clinical and commercial development. So far Dr. Yang's research has resulted in over 70 peer-reviewed publications (in prestigious journals including Nature, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Biomedical Engineering, Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Communications, Science Immunology, Cell Stem Cell, Cell Reports Medicine, PNAS, J Exp Med, J Clin Invest, etc.), 24 patents, 2 clinical trials, and 2 biotech startups.
The Yang Engineering Immunity Lab at UCLA has two active research directions:
1) Identify new immune checkpoints and develop new immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy for cancer.
• New immune metabolic checkpoints (e.g., creatine).
• New neuron/immune interface checkpoints (e.g., serotonin axis).
2) Develop novel “off-the-shelf” allogeneic immune cell therapies for cancer.
• Harnessing unconventional T cells: NKT, γδT, MAIT, and more.
• Engineering stem cells: iPSC, HSC, and more.
• Exploiting gene therapy modalities: TCR, CAR, immune enhancers, and more.
• Targeting a broad range of cancers: blood cancers (e.g., multiple myeloma, AML), solid tumors (e.g., ovarian cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer), and more (e.g., infections and autoimmune disorders).
Overall, the Yang Engineering Immunity Lab at UCLA has established a strong research platform that supports interdisciplinary studies spanning the areas of immunology, stem cell biology, cancer biology, infection, and gene & cell-based immunotherapy. Please visit the Lab website for details and updates: https://www.liliyanglab.com/.