Yu Lab
Principal Investigator: Jianhua Yu
Institution: University of California, Irvine (Irvine, CA)
Primary Subfield: Molecular & Cell Bio
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
PROJECT SUMMARY Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive, devastating cancer with limited treatment options. AML progresses rapidly and presents significant treatment challenges due to its immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment , which impairs immune cell function. Group 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), including natural killer (NK) cells and ILC1s, play key roles in immunity. ILC1s reside in tissues and were initially believed to function primarily by secreting cytokines such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, and GM-CSF. However, their anti-tumor activity has been largely unknown. In 2022, we addressed this gap and published our discovery in Nature Immunology as a cover story. We found that ILC1s isolated from AML patients are functionally impaired, whereas ILC1s from healthy mice are significantly more potent. Healthy ILC1s induce the death of leukemia stem cells (LSCs), block LSC differentiation into leukemia progenitor cells, and promote the transition of LSCs into non-leukemic lymphoid progenitors. Mechanistically, normal ILC1s target LSCs by secreting IFN-γ and engaging receptor-ligand interactions (e.g., DNAM-1–CD155 and IL-7 receptor–IL-7). Despite identifying key features of ILC1s an…
Active NIH Awards
- 1R01CA308352-01: Type 1 Innate Lymphoid Cells: Mechanisms and Anti-AML Potential (2026)
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