UNC Lineberger Special Seminar: Functional Roles of Cholesterol Metabolism in T-Cell Immunity

Presenter: Chenqi Xu, PhD, Professor, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Chenqi Xu investigates the molecular mechanisms that govern T-cell immunity, with a particular focus on immunoreceptor signaling and lipid regulation.

His group identified the Basic Residue-Rich Sequence (BRS) as a previously unrecognized regulatory motif in immunoreceptors and has leveraged this discovery to develop next-generation chimeric antigen receptor designs. In parallel, his research has uncovered fundamental mechanisms by which cholesterol and its metabolites regulate immunoreceptor signaling and other pathways essential for antitumor immunity. These basic discoveries have advanced into clinical trials for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases.

He has received many prestigious awards, including National Natural Science Award of China, Shanghai Natural Science Award, Chinese Biological Investigators Society Young Investigator Award and Xplorer Prize.