Research Areas:
The normal function of the immune system is necessary to protect our body from harmful substances, germs, and cell changes that could make us ill. Our laboratory uses a multidisciplinary approach in genetics, cell biology, molecular biology, microbiology, and bioinformatics to understand and expand how the immune system participates in disease development. Through genetically engineered mice, disease models, and patient studies, we will investigate how the imbalance of the immune system leads to immune-related diseases such as immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, inflammation, allergy, chronic infection, etc., and mainly focusing on mucosal immunity and anti-tumor immunity. Based on our molecular mechanism research, we will also try to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for the immunotherapy of chronic mucosal inflammatory diseases and tumors. The recent research focus: (1) Molecular mechanisms of gut mucosal immune system; (2) Tumor extracellular matrix and anti-tumor immune responses; (3) Pathogenic mechanisms of human monogenic disorders.

Brief Biography:
2023.04- : Professor, Principal Investigator, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, CAS
2022.01-2022.12: Research Fellow, National Institutes of Health, NIAID, USA
2017.04-2022.01: Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institutes of Health, NIAID, USA
2013.08-2017.03: Postdoctoral Fellow, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, CAS
2008.09-2013.09: Ph.D., Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, CAS

Selected Publications: (*Corresponding Author)

1. Lixin Zheng*, Yikun Yao*, Michael J Lenardo*. 2023. Death receptor 5 rises to the occasion. Cell Res Mar;33(3):199-200
2. Yao Y^#, Kim G^#, Shafer S, Chen Z, Kubo S, Ji Y, Luo J, Yang W, Perner SP, Kanellopoulou C, Park AY, Jiang P, Li J, Baris S, Aydiner EK, Ertem D, Mulder DJ, Warner N, Griffiths AM, Topf-Olivestone C, Kori M, Werner L, Ouahed J, Field M, Liu C, Schwarz B, Bosio CM, Ganesan S, Song J, Urlaub H, Oellerich T, Malaker SA, Zheng L, Bertozzi CR, Zhang Y, Matthews H, Montgomery W, Shih HY, Jiang J, Jones M, Baras A, Shuldiner A, Gonzaga-Jauregui C, Snapper SB, Muise AM, Shouval DS, Ozen A, Pan KT, Wu C*, Lenardo MJ*. 2022. Mucus sialylation determines intestinal host-commensal homeostasis. Cell Mar 31;185(7):1172-1188 e28
3. Yao Y^#, Du Jiang P^#, Chao BN^#, Cagdas D^#, Kubo S, Balasubramaniyam A, Zhang Y, Shadur B, NaserEddin A, Folio LR, Schwarz B, Bohrnsen E, Zheng L, Lynberg M, Gottlieb S, Leney-Greene MA, Park AY, Tezcan I, Akdogan A, Gocmen R, Onder S, Rosenberg A, Soilleux EJ, Johnson E, Jackson PK, Demeter J, Chauvin SD, Paul F, Selbach M, Bulut H, Clatworthy MR, Tuong ZK, Zhang H, Stewart BJ, Bosio CM, Stepensky P, Clare S, Ganesan S, Pascall JC, Daumke O, Butcher GW, McMichael AJ, Simon AK, Lenardo MJ*. 2022. GIMAP6 regulates autophagy, immune competence, and inflammation in mice and humans. J Exp Med Jun 6;219(6):e20201405
4. Kubo S^#, Kataria R, Yao Y, Gabrielski JQ, Zheng L, Markowitz TE, Chan W, Song J, Boddapati AK, Saeki K, Haupl B, Park AY, Cheng YH, Cui J, Oellerich T, Lenardo MJ*. 2022. Early B cell factor 4 modulates FAS-mediated apoptosis and promotes cytotoxic function in human immune cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Aug 16;119(33):e2208522119
5. Kubo S^#, Fritz JM, Raquer-McKay HM, Kataria R, Vujkovic-Cvijin I, Al-Shaibi A, Yao Y, Zheng L, Zou J, Waldman AD, Jing X, Farley TK, Park AY, Oler AJ, Charles AK, Makhlouf M, AbouMoussa EH, Hasnah R, Saraiva LR, Ganesan S, Al-Subaiey AA, Matthews H, Flano E, Lee HH, Freeman AF, Sefer AP, Sayar E, Cakir E, Karakoc-Aydiner E, Baris S, Belkaid Y, Ozen A*, Lo B*, Lenardo MJ*. 2022. Congenital iRHOM2 deficiency causes ADAM17 dysfunction and environmentally directed immunodysregulatory disease. Nat Immunol 23(1):75-85
6. Gao H^#, Cao M, Yao Y, Hu W, Sun H, Zhang Y, Zeng C, Tang J, Luan S, Chen P*. 2021. Dysregulated Microbiota-Driven Gasdermin D Activation Promotes Colitis Development by Mediating IL-18 Release. Front Immunol Oct 14;12:750841
7. Shafer S^#, Yao Y^#, Comrie W, Cook S, Zhang Y, Yesil G, Karakoc-Aydiner E, Baris S, Cokugras H, Aydemir S, Kiykim A, Ozen A, Lenardo M*. 2021. Two patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis caused by TRAF3IP2 deficiency. J Allergy Clin Immunol Jul;148(1):256-261.e2
8. Chan W^#, Gottschalk RA, Yao Y, Pomerantz JL, Germain RN*. 2021. Efficient Immune Cell Genome Engineering with Enhanced CRISPR Editing Tools. Immunohorizons Feb 23;5(2):117-132
9. Zhang ZZ^#, Zhang Y, He T, Sweeney CL, Baris S, Karakoc-Aydiner E, Yao Y, Ertem D, Matthews HF, Gonzaga-Jauregui C, Malech HL, Su HC, Ozen A, Smith KGC, Lenardo MJ*. 2021. Homozygous IL37 mutation associated with infantile inflammatory bowel disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Mar 9;118(10):e2009217118
10. Cao M^#, Wu Z^#, Lou Q^#, Lu W, Zhang J, Li Q, Zhang Y, Yao Y, Zhao Q, Li M, Zhang H, Qian Y*. 2019. Dectin-1-induced RIPK1 and RIPK3 activation protects host against Candida albicans infection. Cell Death Differ Dec;26(12):2622-2636
11. Zhang Y^#, Yao Y^#, Qiu X, Wang G, Hu Z, Chen S, Wu Z, Yuan N, Gao H, Wang J, Song H, Girardin SE, Qian Y*. 2019. Listeria hijacks host mitophagy through a novel mitophagy receptor to evade killing. Nat Immunol Apr;20(4):433-446
12. Chen S^#, Yun F, Yao Y, Cao M, Zhang Y, Wang J, Song X, Qian Y*. 2018. USP38 critically promotes asthmatic pathogenesis by stabilizing JunB protein. J Exp Med Nov 5;215(11):2850-2867
13. Wang Z^#, Yin W, Zhu L, Li J, Yao Y, Chen F, Sun M, Zhang J, Shen N, Song Y, Chang X*. 2018. Iron Drives T Helper Cell Pathogenicity by Promoting RNA-Binding Protein PCBP1-Mediated Proinflammatory Cytokine Production. Immunity Jul 17;49(1):80-92.e7
14. Huang Y^#, Liu K, Li Q, Yao Y, Wang Y*. 2018. Exosomes Function in Tumor Immune Microenvironment. Adv Exp Med Biol 1056:109-122
15. Wang S^#, Tang L, Lin J, Shen Z, Yao Y, Wang W, Tao S, Gu C, Ma J, Xie Y, Liu Y*. 2017. ABCB5 promotes melanoma metastasis through enhancing NF-kappaB p65 protein stability. Biochem Biophys Res Commun Oct 7;492(1):18-26
16. Shao X^#, Chen S, Yang D, Cao M, Yao Y, Wu Z, Li N, Shen N, Li X, Song X, Qian Y*. 2017. FGF2 cooperates with IL-17 to promote autoimmune inflammation. Sci Rep Aug 1;7(1):7024
17. Yao Y^#, Chen S, Cao M, Fan X, Yang T, Huang Y, Song X, Li Y, Ye L, Shen N, Shi Y, Li X, Wang F, Qian Y*. 2017. Antigen-specific CD8+ T cell feedback activates NLRP3 inflammasome in antigen-presenting cells through perforin. Nat Commun May 24;8:15402
18. Yao Y^#, Qian Y*. 2013. Expression regulation and function of NLRC5. Protein Cell Mar;4(3):168-175
19. Yao Y^#, Wang Y^#, Chen F, Huang Y, Zhu S, Leng Q, Wang H, Shi Y, Qian Y*. 2012. NLRC5 regulates MHC class I antigen presentation in host defense against intracellular pathogens. Cell Res May;22(5):836-847
20. Song X^#, Dai D^#, He X, Zhu S, Yao Y, Gao H, Wang J, Qu F, Qiu J, Wang H, Li X, Shen N*, Qian Y*. 2015. Growth Factor FGF2 Cooperates with Interleukin-17 to Repair Intestinal Epithelial Damage. Immunity Sep 15;43(3):488-501
21. Song X^#, Gao H^#, Lin Y, Yao Y, Zhu S, Wang J, Liu Y, Yao X, Meng G, Shen N, Shi Y, Iwakura Y, Qian Y*. 2014. Alterations in the Microbiota Drive Interleukin-17C Production from Intestinal Epithelial Cells to Promote Tumorigenesis. Immunity Jan 16;40(1):140-152