Research Interests
1) In-depth analysis of antiviral innate immunity mechanisms and development of novel antiviral drugs;
2) Study of the role of innate immune signaling pathways in autoimmune inflammation;
3) Screening of innate immune agonists and development of novel cancer treatment strategies based on these findings.
Professor and Ph.D. advisor, born in 1987, Ph.D. from the School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC).
Received a Bachelor's degree in Biology from USTC in 2010. Pursued a Ph.D. at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center under the supervision of HHMI investigator and member of the National Academy of Sciences, Professor Zhijian Chen. Later conducted postdoctoral research at Rockefeller University under the supervision of National Academy of Sciences member and HHMI investigator, Professor Jean-Laurent Casanova, and received the Revson Fellowship in 2018. Currently utilizing molecular and cellular biology and genetics, along with mouse models and clinical samples, to study the mechanisms of innate immune signaling pathways in antiviral immunity and autoimmune diseases. Published research papers as first and corresponding author in renowned international journals such as Science, Science Immunology, JEM, JCI, and PNAS, and is responsible for projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Education and Research Experience
- 2006-2010: Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, USTC
- 2010-2015: Ph.D. in Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- 2016-2019: Postdoctoral research, Rockefeller University
- 2019-present: Professor and Ph.D. advisor, School of Life Sciences, USTC
Awards
- 2014: Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad
- 2014: American Association of Immunologists Young Investigator Award
- 2015: Streilein Chair Freedom Award
- 2018: Revson Fellowship
Main Research Focus
Our long-term research goal is to explore the role of innate immunity, particularly nucleic acid-induced innate immune responses, in major diseases such as viral infections, autoimmune diseases, tumor immunity, and chronic diseases. Nucleic acids, as carriers of genetic information and messengers, participate in fundamental life activities. Pathogen nucleic acids, differing in structure and characteristics from mammalian cellular nucleic acids, can be recognized as pathogen-associated molecular patterns to activate innate immunity. Nucleic acid innate immune recognition plays a crucial role in defending against various pathogen infections, especially viral infections. However, the accumulation of self-nucleic acids can lead to excessive activation of innate immunity, resulting in autoimmunity. Based on nucleic acid-triggered innate immune mechanisms, we are committed to developing novel immune adjuvants for vaccine development and cancer immunotherapy. We also aim to create more efficient anti-tumor treatment strategies by combining with existing immunotherapies. By analyzing innate immune regulation, we attempt to elucidate the mechanisms of immune defense and disease pathogenesis and explore new therapeutic approaches for diseases, including cancer, through the activation of innate immunity.
Representative Papers
1. R. Zhao, J. Zhang, J. Ma, Y. Qu, Z. Yang, Z. Yin, F. Li, Z. Dong, Q. Sun, S. Zhu, Z. J. Chen, D. Gao, cGAS-activated endothelial cell-T cell cross-talk initiates tertiary lymphoid structure formation. Sci Immunol 9, eadk2612 (2024).
2. Shuo Ru, Sisi Tang, Hui Xu, Jiahao Yin, Yan Guo, Liuping Song, Zhenyu Jin, Danyel Lee, Yi-Hao Chan, Xingyao Chen, Luke Buerer, William Fairbrother, Weidong Jia, Jean-Laurent Casanova, Shen-Ying Zhang, Daxing Gao, Human DBR1 deficiency impairs stress granule-dependent PKR antiviral immunity. Journal Of Experimental Medicine (2024).
3.Y.-H. Chan, V. Lundberg, J. Le Pen, J. Yuan, D. Lee, F. Pinci, S. Volpi, K. Nakajima, V. Bondet, S. Åkesson, N. V. Khobrekar, A. Bodansky, L. Du, T. Melander, A.-A. Mariaggi, Y. Seeleuthner, T. S. Saleh, D. Chakravarty, P. Marits, K. Dobbs, S. Vonlanthen, V. Hennings, K. Thörn, D. Rinchai, L. Bizien, M. Chaldebas, A. Sobh, T. Özçelik, S. Keles, S. A. AlKhater, C. Prando, I. Meyts, COVID Human Genetic Effort, M. R. Wilson, J. Rosain, E. Jouanguy, M. Aubart, L. Abel, T. H. Mogensen, Q. Pan-Hammarström, D. Gao, D. Duffy, A. Cobat, S. Berg, L. D. Notarangelo, O. Harschnitz, C. M. Rice, L. Studer, J.-L. Casanova, O. Ekwall, S.-Y. Zhang, SARS-CoV-2 brainstem encephalitis in human inherited DBR1 deficiency. J Exp Med 221, e20231725 (2024).
4. D. Gao#, M. J. Ciancanelli, P. Zhang, O. Harschnitz, V. Bondet, M. Hasek, J. Chen, X. Mu, Y. Itan, A. Cobat, V. Sancho-Shimizu, B. Bigio, L. Lorenzo, G. Ciceri, J. McAlpine, E. Anguiano, E. Jouanguy, D. Chaussabel, I. Meyts, M. S. Diamond, L. Abel, S. Hur, G. A. Smith, L. Notarangelo, D. Duffy, L. Studer, J.-L. Casanova, S.-Y. Zhang, TLR3 controls constitutive IFN-β antiviral immunity in human fibroblasts and cortical neurons. Journal of Clinical Investigation 131 (2021). (#corresponding author)
5. F. G. Lafaille, O. Harschnitz, Y. S. Lee, P. Zhang, M. L. Hasek, G. Kerner, Y. Itan, O. Ewaleifoh, F. Rapaport, T. M. Carlile, M. E. Carter-Timofte, D. Paquet, K. Dobbs, B. Zimmer, D. Gao, M. F. Rojas-Duran, D. Kwart, V. Rattina, M. J. Ciancanelli, J. L. McAlpine, L. Lorenzo, S. Boucherit, F. Rozenberg, R. Halwani, B. Henry, N. Amenzoui, Z. Alsum, L. Marques, J. A. Church, S. Al-Muhsen, M. Tardieu, A. A. Bousfiha, S. R. Paludan, T. H. Mogensen, L. Quintana-Murci, M. Tessier-Lavigne, G. A. Smith, L. D. Notarangelo, L. Studer, W. Gilbert, L. Abel, J. L. Casanova, S. Y. Zhang, Human SNORA31 variations impair cortical neuron-intrinsic immunity to HSV-1 and underlie herpes simplex encephalitis. Nature Medicine 25, 1873–1884 (2019).
6. D. Gao, T. Li, X.-D. Li, X. Chen, Q.-Z. Li, M. Wight-Carter, Z. J. Chen, Activation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase by self-DNA causes autoimmune diseases. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112, E5699–E5705 (2015).
7. D. Gao, J. Wu, Y. T. Wu, F. Du, C. Aroh, N. Yan, L. Sun, Z. J. Chen, Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase is an innate immune sensor of HIV and other retroviruses. Science (New York, N.Y.) 341, 903–906 (2013).
8. X. D. Li, J. Wu, D. Gao, H. Wang, L. Sun, Z. J. Chen, Pivotal roles of cGAS-cGAMP signaling in antiviral defense and immune adjuvant effects. Science 341, 1390–1394 (2013).
9. D. Ma, A. Xie, J. Lv, X. Min, X. Zhang, Q. Zhou, D. Gao, E. Wang, L. Gao, L. Cheng, S. Liu, Engineered extracellular vesicles enable high-efficient delivery of intracellular therapeutic proteins. Protein Cell, pwae015 (2024).
Recruitment
We warmly welcome students interested in immunology and cancer immunotherapy to pursue a Ph.D. or internship with us.
E-mail: daxing@ustc.edu.cn