Yizhi Wang

Research

Dendritic cells (DCs) are central regulators of adaptive immunity, acting as the primary antigen-presenting cells that initiate and shape T-cell responses. Among DC subsets, conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) are uniquely specialized in cross-presentation and are essential for the induction of cytotoxic CD8⁺ T-cell immunity against tumors. However, their low abundance in peripheral blood and tissues has limited both mechanistic studies and their therapeutic exploitation.

My PhD research focuses on generating functional DC from hematopoietic progenitor cells using an in vitro culture system established by our group. Using our human lisenced DC/T co-culture system, I aim to isolate and characterize (neo)antigen-specific T-cell receptors targeting recurrent driver mutations across multiple cancer types, including melanoma, lung cancer, and acute myeloid leukemia, and to support the identification of functional tumor-reactive T cells with therapeutic potential. In parallel, I am exploring mechanisms of human cDC1 versus cDC2 function in naïve CD4⁺ T-cell activation, aiming to define subset-specific mechanisms that drive their functional specialization.

Curriculum Vitae

I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Medicine from Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), China, in 2019, followed by a Master’s degree in Oncology from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) in 2022. During my Master’s program, I conducted research on changes in the tumor immune microenvironment of lung cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade therapy and completed clinical practice in the Department of Thoracic Oncology. This combined clinical and research experience fostered a strong interest in immunology and oncology.

To continue my studies, In 2023 I started my PhD program in the Immunology Department at Leiden University Medical Center, in the group of Dr. Xiao and Prof. Borst. Since 2025, I have continued my PhD research in gropu of Dr. Xiao.