Weiming Yuan

Dr. Weiming Yuan is an Associate Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Southern California. His research focuses on NKT cell immunology and viral immune evasion strategies, particularly how herpesviruses subvert CD1d-mediated antigen presentation to evade immune detection.

The Yuan Lab investigates the molecular mechanisms by which viruses like herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) and SARS-CoV-2 inhibit NKT cell function and compromise immune responses. Recent work includes characterization of blood-brain barrier impairment in COVID-19 and development of NKT-targeted therapies against SARS-CoV-2. The lab employs humanized mouse models to study human-specific immune pathways and develop immunotherapies.

Key research areas:

• Viral immune evasion mechanisms targeting antigen presentation
• NKT cell activation in antiviral and antitumor immunity
• Humanized mouse models for immunotherapy development
• Neuroimmune responses to viral infections

Dr. Yuan's work has been published in high-impact journals including Cell Host & Microbe, PLOS Pathogens, and PNAS. His laboratory combines virology, immunology, and molecular biology approaches to develop novel therapeutic strategies against viral infections and cancer.