I have more than 15 years of experience in cancer immunotherapy research. Recently, I have been selected an advisors to: (A) provide NCI with advice on the research gaps in Cell-based Immunotherapy; (B) advise the NCI on future directions of Adoptive T Cell Therapy through proposing competitive Funding Opportunity Announcement mechanisms.
My work focuses on Tumor Immunology with a particular interest in T-cell based and immune checkpoint-based cancer immunotherapy, targeting melanoma and pancreatic cancer. We utilize state-of-the-art CyTOF, single-cell RNA sequencing, bioinformatics, computational modeling, tumor models and tumor organoids to investigate mechanisms of resistance and acquired resistance to TCR-/CAR-T adoptive cell therapy.
Another part of our current research is to elucidate the role of IL-9 in the regulation of tumor immunity. Collectively, we revealed an IL-9-dependent antitumor response of IL-9-producing T cells, which was qualitatively and quantitatively superior to the immune response induced by Type I cytotoxic T cells. In addition, our recent study is focused on the potential and the cellular mechanism of Th9 cells as a new paradigm of CD4+ T cells to cure the advanced tumors (Yong Lu et al, JCI 2012; Yong Lu et al, PNAS 2014; Zhao Y et al, Nat Comm 2016; Yong Lu et al, Cancer Cell 2018; Gang Xue et al, Nat Comm 2019; Gang Xue et al, Nature Biomedical Engineering 2021; Gang Xue et al, Cancer Cell, 2022).
Ongoing projects that I would like to highlight include:
R01/R37 CA251318
Lu (PI)
09/01/2020-05/31/2025
P38 MAPK is a molecular switch that controls the acquired resistance in adoptive cell therapy
R01 CA248111
Lu (PI)
01/01/2021-12/31/2025
Eradication of Escaped Variant Tumor Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy
R01 CA258477-01
Lu (PI)
03/01/2021–02/28/2026
The Unique Roles of Tumor-Specific Th9 Cells for Solid Tumor Eradication
R01 CA264102-01
Lu (MPI: Zhao; Lu)
07/01/2021–06/30/2026
Intrapleural immunotherapeutic nanoparticles for MPE treatment.
CPRIT RR210067
Lu (PI)
09/01/2021-08/31/2026
Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) Rising Star Award