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Research Highlights

Our research centers on deciphering the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling antitumor immunity, and exploiting knowledge to device the next-generation cancer immunotherapies.

Two active research directions are:

1.Identify new immune checkpoints and develop new immune checkpoint blockade 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). 

Featured Publications

Yang L, Ribas  A & Witte ON. David Baltimore (1938-2025): His west coast voyage and his vision of a Los Angeles Bio-Hub. Nat. Biotechnol. 2025 Dec 8. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-025-02957-6. [Nature Biotechnology  PDF][UCLA MIMG][UCLA BSCRC][X.parkerici]

Li B#, Elsten-Brown J, Li M, Zhu E, Li Z, Chen Y, Kang E, Ma F, Chiang J, Li Y-R, Zhu Y, Huang J, Fung A, Scarborough Q, Cadd R, Zhou JJ, Chin AI, Pellegrini M, and Yang L#. (#Co-corresponding authors). Serotonin transporter inhibits antitumor immunity through regulating the intratumoral serotonin axis. Cell. 2025 Jul 10;188(14):3823-3842.e21. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.032. Epub 2025 May 21. [Cell PDF][UCLA Newsroom  PDF][UCLA Health News  PDF][UCLA BSCRC News  PDF][Gizmodo  PDF][Daily Mail  PDF][Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News  PDF][Technology Networks  PDF][Medpage Today PDF][Discover Magazine  PDF][The Independent UK  PDF][Yahoo  PDF][OncoDaily  PDF][Punjab News Express  PDF][The Healthy Indian Project PDF][India New England News  PDF][MDLinx  PDF][Financial Express  PDF][Earth.com  PDF][Inside Precision Medicine  PDF][Medical Dialogues  PDF][Manchester Evening News  PDF][MSN  PDF]

Li Y-R*, Zhou Y*, Yu J*, Kim YJ, Li M, Lee D, Zhou K, Chen Y, Zhu Y, Wang Y-C, Li Z, Yu Y, Dunn ZS, Guo W, Cen X, Husman T, Bajpai A, Kramer A, Wilson M, Fang Y, Huang J, Li S, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Hahn Z, Zhu E, Ma F, Pan C, Lusis AJ, Zhou JJ, Seet CS, Kohn DB, Wang P, Zhou XJ, Pellegrini M, Puliafito BR, Larson SM, and Yang L. (*Co-first authors)  Generation of allogeneic CAR-NKT cells from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells using a clinically guided culture method. Nat. Biotechnol. 2025 Mar; 43(3):329-344.  doi: 10.1038/s41587-024-02226-y. Epub 2024 May 14. [Nature Biotechnology  PDF][Nature Biotechnology News & Views  PDF][Nature Portfolio  PDF][UCLA Newsroom  PDF][UCLA Health News  PDF][UCLA BSCRC News  PDF][Bioquick News  PDF]

Featured News

Publication/Press
Publication/Press
January 4, 2026

January 4, 2026- Our review article is published on Journal of Biomedical Science, reporting microbiome modulation of tumorigenesis and immune... Read More

Award/Honor
Award/Honor
November 18, 2025

November 18, 2025- Our PhD student, James Elsten-Brown, receives the distinguished John W. Phillips Legacy Award that recognizes exceptional achievements... Read More

Award/Grant
Award/Grant
May 30, 2024

May 30, 2024- Dr. Lili Yang receives a $6.3 million CIRM Partnering Opportunity for Translational Research Projects Award to translate... Read More

Job/Openings
Job/Openings
November 15, 2023

We are currently recruiting PhD students (2 openings) and postdoctoral researchers (1 opening). Welcome to apply! [PhD Openings][Postdoc Openings]... Read More

Translation/Biotech
Translation/Biotech
August 5, 2021

May 11, 2021- Our off-the-shelf cell therapy technology is licensed by a Biotech startup, Appia Bio, for commercial development. The... Read More