January 4, 2026- Our review article is published on Journal of Biomedical Science, reporting microbiome modulation of tumorigenesis and immune responses. Congratulations to all the authors, in particular to the first author, Yuning (Christine) Chen, and the co-corresponding author, Yan-Ruide […]... Read More
November 18, 2025- Our PhD student, James Elsten-Brown, receives the distinguished John W. Phillips Legacy Award that recognizes exceptional achievements in research, teaching, and mentoring. Congratulations! [UCLA MIMG News PDF] June 10, 2025- Our PhD student, John Yichen Zhu, receives […]... Read More
May 30, 2024- Dr. Lili Yang receives a $6.3 million CIRM Partnering Opportunity for Translational Research Projects Award to translate a novel stem cell-engineered off-the-shelf CAR-NKT cell therapy for ovarian cancer into clinics. [Link][PDF] May 18, 2021- Dr. Lili Yang […]... Read More
We are currently recruiting PhD students (2 openings) and postdoctoral researchers (1 opening). Welcome to apply! [PhD Openings][Postdoc Openings]... Read More
May 11, 2021- Our off-the-shelf cell therapy technology is licensed by a Biotech startup, Appia Bio, for commercial development. The company launches with $52 million Series A financing. [Appia News][Endpoints News] August 5, 2021- Appia Bio and Kite announce collaboration […]... Read More
Our paper is published on Science Immunology, reporting the identification of monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) as an immune checkpoint restraining antitumor T cell immunity and the repurposing of MAO inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressants for cancer immunotherapy. Congratulations to all the authors, […]... Read More
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Our JEM paper reporting creatine uptake regulation of CD8 T cell immunity is featured on UCLA News and other media. [PDF][UCLA News][UC News][MedicalXpress][ScienceDaily][The Medical News][Technology Networks]... Read More
Our paper reporting creatine uptake regulation of CD8 T cell immunity is published online on the Journal of Experimental Medicine. Congratulations to all the authors, in particular to the co-first authors Stefano Di Biase & Jessie Xiaoya Ma! [Link]... Read More
Our Cell Stem Cell paper reporting HSC-engineered iNKT cell therapy is featured on the journal’s October issue for “In Translation”. [link]... Read More
Our Cell Stem Cell paper reporting HSC-engineering iNKT cell cancer therapy is featured on UCLA News and other media. [PDF][UCLA News][Medical News Today][The Stem Cell Podcast]... Read More
Our paper reporting the development of HSC-engineered iNKT cell therapy for cancer is published online on Cell Stem Cell. Congratulations to all the authors, in particular to the co-first authors Yanni Zhu & Drake Smith! [PDF][Link]... Read More
Our PhD student, Victor Jiaji Yu, receives a BSCRC Predoctoral Fellowship. Congratulations, Victor!... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $300,000 BSCRC/JCCC Ablon Scholar Award to develop novel immune cell therapies for cancer.... Read More
Our paper reporting the isolation and characterization of NY-ESO-1-specific T cell receptors is published online on PNAS. This study was in collaboration with the Owen Witte Lab at UCLA and the David Baltimore Lab at Caltech. Congratulations to all the […]... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $1.4M CIRM 2.0 Quest Award to develop off-the-shelf iNKT cell therapy for cancer. [PDF][Link]... Read More
Our Undergraduate Student, Levina Lin, receives a Dean’s Prize at Research Poster Day 2018. Congratulations, Levina!... Read More
Our two outstanding undergraduate students, Alex Pham and Levina Lin, are both accepted into the UCLA Medical School. Congratulations, Alex and Levina!... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang and Dr. Yu Huang jointly receive a $150,000 BSCRC/CNSI Stem Cell Nano-Medicine Initiative Planning Award from UCLA, to study the in vitro expansion of human blood stem cells using decorated graphene as feeders.... Read More
Our paper on miR-146a regulation of Th17 polarization and autoimmunity is published online on the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Congratulations to all the authors, in particular to the co-first authors Bo Li & Shirley Xi Wang! [PDF][Link]... Read More
Our PhD trainee, Dr. Drake Smith, joins the Gilead/Kite Pharma as a Scientist. Congratulations, Drake!... Read More
Our first PhD student, Drake Smith, successfully defended his thesis today. He sets a record of completing a productive PhD training in 4 years. Congratulations, Dr. Smith!... Read More
Our Postdoc trainee, Dr. Inyoung Choi, joins Booz Allen Hamilton as a Senior Consultant. Congratulations, Inyoung!... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives the Outstanding New Investigator Award from the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT). [PDF][Link]... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives the Life Sciences Faculty Excellence Award for Outstanding Research Publication from UCLA.... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives the Young Investigator Award from the American Association of Immunologist (AAI).... Read More
Our paper on propagating humanized BLT mice for the study of human immunotherapy is published online on the journal of Stem Cells and Development. Congratulations to all the authors, in particular to the first author Drake Smith! [PDF][Link]... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $150,000 BSCRC-RHF Research Award from the Rose Hills Foundation (RHF) to study human iNKT cell development.... Read More
Our Postdoc trainee, Dr. Bo Li, joins the Loma Linda University as an Assistant Professor. Congratulations, Bo!... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $7.6M CIRM 2.0 Partnering Opportunity for Translational Research Projects Award to translate a new stem cell-based immunotherapy into clinics. [PDF][Link]... Read More
Our former Lab Manager, Claret Siyuan Liu, joins Amgen as a Scientist. Congratulations, Claret!... Read More
Our PhD Student, Drake Smith, receives a T32 Tumor Immunology Training Grant. Congratulations, Drake!... Read More
Drs. David Baltimore, Owen Witte, and Lili Yang jointly receive a $1M GTSN Challenge Award for Lethal Prostate Cancer from the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), to study T cell receptor gene therapy for treatment of lethal prostate cancer.... Read More
Our PNAS paper on stem cell-engineering iNKT cells is listed as the TOP STORY on the Hematopoiesis News. [PDF][Link]... Read More
Our paper on stem cell-engineered invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells is published online on PNAS. Congratulations to all the authors, in particular to the first author Drake Smith! [PDF][Link]... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $150,000 STOP CANCER Research Career Development Award to study tumor immunology and cancer immunotherapy. [PDF][Link]... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $2.3M NIH Director’s New Innovator (DP2) Award to develop new ways using blood stem cells to attack cancer. [PDF][Link]... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $50,000 Stem Cell Research Award from the Concern Foundation, to study stem cell-engineered iNKT cell therapy for breast cancer.... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $614,400 CIRM Basic Biology V Exploratory Concepts (RB5) Award to study special immune cells. [PDF][Link]... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $65,000 SPORE in Prostate Cancer Career Development Award (NIH P50), to study stem cell-engineered iNKT cells for prostate cancer therapy.... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang receives a $50,000 BSCRC Innovation Award from UCLA, to study stem cell engineering for immunotherapy.... Read More
Dr. Lili Yang is named as one of the 35 Innovators Under 35 (TR35) by the MIT Technology Review Magazine. [PDF][Link]... Read More