Biography
The Tang lab focuses on translating knowledge on mechanisms of immune tolerance into novel therapeutics for treating autoimmune diabetes and preventing transplant rejection. Currently, two major areas of work are on therapeutic application of regulatory T cell therapy in type 1 diabetes and transplantation and immune modulation to enable immune suppression-free transplant of stem-cell-derived beta cells for treatment of type 1 diabetes.
Regulatory T cells are a small population of white blood cells that are essential for preventing tissue damages caused by over activation of the immune system. The Tang lab has shown that infusion of regulatory T cells in animal models can reverse type 1 diabetes, a disease caused by immune destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreatic islets. Similarly, regulatory T cell therapy can prevent rejection of transplanted organs in animal models. A joint team of researchers from the Tang and Bluestone labs is currently conducting 6 clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of regulatory T cell therapy in patients. In the mean time, we are developing next generation regulatory T cell therapies in preclinical models to improve the safety and efficacy of the therapy.
In patients with chronic type 1 diabetes, transplanting of stem-cell-derived beta cells can potentially cure the disease, but patients have to commit to life-long immunosuppression to prevent rejection of the transplanted cells from rejection by the immune system. The Tang lab is currently investigating approaches to shield the transplanted cells from the immune systems using novel biomaterials developed in the Desai and Roy labs at UCSF. We are also applying genome-editing technologies to immunoengineer stem cells to evade immune rejection.
Regulatory T cells are a small population of white blood cells that are essential for preventing tissue damages caused by over activation of the immune system. The Tang lab has shown that infusion of regulatory T cells in animal models can reverse type 1 diabetes, a disease caused by immune destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreatic islets. Similarly, regulatory T cell therapy can prevent rejection of transplanted organs in animal models. A joint team of researchers from the Tang and Bluestone labs is currently conducting 6 clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of regulatory T cell therapy in patients. In the mean time, we are developing next generation regulatory T cell therapies in preclinical models to improve the safety and efficacy of the therapy.
In patients with chronic type 1 diabetes, transplanting of stem-cell-derived beta cells can potentially cure the disease, but patients have to commit to life-long immunosuppression to prevent rejection of the transplanted cells from rejection by the immune system. The Tang lab is currently investigating approaches to shield the transplanted cells from the immune systems using novel biomaterials developed in the Desai and Roy labs at UCSF. We are also applying genome-editing technologies to immunoengineer stem cells to evade immune rejection.
Education
Institution | Degree | Dept or School | End Date |
---|---|---|---|
University of California | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training | 2021 | |
University of California | Postdoctoral Studies | Immunology | 2002 |
Univeristy of Chicago | Postdoctoral Studies | Immunology | 2000 |
University of Illinios | PhD | Microbiology and Immunology | 1996 |
University of South Alabama | Graduate School | Microbiology and Immunology | 1991 |
Peking Union Medical College | Medical School | Medcine | 1989 |
Clinical Trials
- Related Conditions: Liver Transplant| Start Date: | End Date:
- Related Conditions: Liver Transplant| Start Date: | End Date:
In the News
June, 13, 2019 | UCSF News Services
October, 19, 2018 | UCSF Transplantation Research Lab
July, 11, 2017 | UCSF Tang Lab
May, 24, 2016 | UCSF Pediatric Surgery
ASTS Awards Qizhi Tang, Ph.D. Faculty Research Grant for Biomarker Discovery and Functional Genomics
May, 05, 2015 | UCSF Transplant SurgeryMarch, 10, 2014 | UCSF Transplant Surgery
January, 18, 2011 | UCSF Pediatric Surgery
Grants and Funding
- Pancreatic Islets and Parathyroid Gland Co-transplantation for Treatment of Diabetes in the Intra-Muscular Site: PARADIGM | CIRM | 2019-07-01 - 2023-06-30 | Role: Co-investigator
- Islet transplant operational tolerance through minimization of ischemic injury and local immune regulation | JDRF | 2019-09-01 - 2021-08-31 | Role: PI
- Novel Therapies to Modulate the Inflammatory Alloresponse in Renal Grafts | NIAID | 2014-07-01 - 2021-06-30 | Role: Co-investigator
- Multiplex in situ gene expression and phenotypical profiling of inflamed tissues | NIH | 2015-06-26 - 2021-05-31 | Role: Co-Principal Investigator
- Donor-Alloantigen-Reactive Regulatory T Cell Therapy in Liver Transplantation | NIH | 2014-06-01 - 2021-05-31 | Role: Co-Principal Investigator
- Diabetes Research Center | NIH | 2002-09-01 - 2021-03-31 | Role: Co-Investigator
- Engineering Treg cells to treat type 1 diabetes | Helmsley Charitable Trust | 2017-11-01 - 2020-10-31 | Role: PI
- Promoting extrahepatic engraftment of human islets by parathyroid gland co-transplantation | JDRF | 2018-06-01 - 2019-05-31 | Role: PI
- Regulatory 'T' Cell Control of Autoimmune Diabetes. | NIH | 2010-03-15 - 2016-02-29 | Role: Principal Investigator
- Donor-Specific Regulatory T Cell Therapy in Liver Transplantation | NIH | 2012-04-01 - 2014-03-31 | Role: Co-Principal Investigator
- BD FACS ARIA II CELL SORTER | NIH | 2010-02-01 - 2011-01-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
- Visualizing regulatory T cell control of autoimmunity | NIH | 2005-07-01 - 2008-06-30 | Role: Principal Investigator
- T CELL ACTIVATION AND ANERGY INDUCTION BY ANTI-CD3 | NIH | 2000-02-01 - 1900-01-01 | Role: Principal Investigator
Research Interests
T-Lymphocyte Subsets
T-Lymphocytes
Suppressor-Effector
Autoimmunity
Islets of Langerhans Transplantation
Transplantation Immunology
Transplantation Tolerance
Immune Tolerance
Immunotherapy
Research Pathways
Publications
MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 122
- Selective decrease of donor-reactive Tregs after liver transplantation limits Treg therapy for promoting allograft tolerance in humans.| | PubMed
- A Phase I/IIa study of autologous tolerogenic dendritic cells immunotherapy in kidney transplant recipients.| | PubMed
- Anti-HLA-A2-CAR Tregs prolong vascularized mouse heterotopic heart allograft survival.| | PubMed
- IL-6 and TNFα Drive Extensive Proliferation of Human Tregs Without Compromising Their Lineage Stability or Function.| | PubMed
- Lung transplant recipients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis have impaired alloreactive immune responses.| | PubMed
- Polyclonal Regulatory T Cell Manufacturing Under cGMP: A Decade of Experience.| | PubMed
- The effect of low-dose IL-2 and Treg adoptive cell therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes.| | PubMed
- Precision Engineering of an Anti-HLA-A2 Chimeric Antigen Receptor in Regulatory T Cells for Transplant Immune Tolerance.| | PubMed
- The Role of Regulatory T Cells in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.| | PubMed
- Selective deletion of human leukocyte antigens protects stem cell-derived islets from immune rejection.| | PubMed