Branco Weiss Fellow Since
2025
Research Category
Immunology, immunotherapy
Research Location
Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Australia
Background
Mammals rely on T cells, a critical component of adaptive immunity, to defend against a wide range of pathogens. Proper T cell development is essential for maintaining health, while dysfunction can increase susceptibility to infections and cancers. Our understanding of T cell development has largely come from studies conducted under homeostatic conditions, whereas the impact of persistent immune challenges such as chronic infections and cancers on T cell development remains elusive.
Details of Research
The central process of T cell development in the thymus involves the formation of random T cell receptors (TCRs) followed by a rigorous selection process known as thymic selection. Only approximately 1–3 % of developing T cells can successfully survive this selection to enter the peripheral circulation. Dr. Gao’s research will investigate the basic principles underlying thymic selection in healthy conditions and examine how chronic infections and malignancies may modify these selective processes. Understanding the rules governing these selection processes could potentially reveal new therapeutic strategies for treating chronic infectious diseases and cancers.
