Research

Research Overview

Our laboratory investigates the fundamental principles of the immune system through the lens of T cell quiescence. T cells must remain quiescent under steady-state conditions while being poised for rapid activation upon antigen encounter. This delicate balance is essential for lifelong immune homeostasis, yet its molecular basis remains incompletely understood.

We aim to answer key questions: How do T cells actively maintain quiescence? What defines the threshold for activation? Which intrinsic programs prevent spontaneous activation?

Recently, we uncovered that BTG1/2-mediated mRNA deadenylation safeguards T cell quiescence (Science, 2020), providing a previously unrecognized paradigm of how T cells preserve a ground state before activation.

Building on this framework, our research focuses on:

1. Mechanisms of T cell quiescence – using genetically engineered mouse models and multi-omics platforms to dissect intrinsic and extrinsic regulatory networks.

2. Immune disease models – reinterpreting autoimmune, inflammatory, allergic, metabolic, and cancer immunology from the perspective of quiescence–activation transitions.

3. Next-generation immunotherapies – developing novel therapeutic strategies including CRISPR-based target discovery and advanced CAR-T/Treg engineering for solid tumors and immune disorders.
   
   

We employ an integrative approach spanning immunology, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, and bioinformatics, striving to translate fundamental discoveries into transformative therapies.