Chen Yao

Chen Yao, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Immunology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, affiliated with the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research focuses on T cell biology, cancer immunotherapy, and inflammatory pathways. He joined the faculty in 2021 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. Yao’s work integrates immunology, genomics, and clinical oncology to address challenges in immune regulation and tumor immunity.

Education: 2011–2016 (Ph.D., University of Minnesota); 2016–2021 (Postdoctoral Fellow, NIAMS). Key research areas include CAR T cell engineering, T cell exhaustion, and cytokine signaling in cancer and allergy. His lab investigates transcriptional and metabolic programs governing immune cell functionality, with translational applications in immunotherapy.

Publications highlight contributions to understanding T cell plasticity, TGF-β signaling in macrophages, and mechanisms driving allergic inflammation. His recent work emphasizes the role of epigenetic regulators (e.g., BACH2, TOX) in maintaining T cell stemness and persistence. Yao is also affiliated with the Kidney Cancer Program at UT Southwestern, focusing on immunotherapeutic strategies for renal cell carcinoma.

Grants and collaborations are integral to his work, though specific funding details are not listed here. The Yao Lab actively investigates immune checkpoint modulation, metabolic reprogramming in chronic infections, and therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases. His research bridges basic immunology with clinical challenges in cancer and chronic inflammatory conditions.