Overview
I am a Senior Research Fellow, NHMRC Emerging Leader Fellow, and Group Leader at UQ Frazer Institute. I was awarded my PhD in late 2017 by Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University. Under the UQ Health Research Accelerator (HERA) program, I lead a team to investigate T and B cell responses that profoundly regulate vaccine responses, viral clearance, and anti-tumour immunity.
My research program employs combinatorial methodologies of Biochemistry and Immunology to uncover new molecular mechanisms controlling T-cell-mediated immunity:
1. The action of T cells is required in antibody responses for suppressing viral infection or tumour growth and to confer protection upon vaccination. In particular, follicular helper T (Tfh) cells, a specialised subset of CD4+ T cells, essentially instruct the B cells to produce long-lived antibody protection. The knowledge of Tfh cells has fundamentally enabled vaccine development and therapy design for autoimmune diseases.
2. T-cell-derived cytokines play pivotal roles in both humoral and cellular immunity. Particularly, interleukin-21 (IL-21) is essential for supporting germinal centre (GC) reaction, where the B cell memory and long-lived antibody responses are generated. Besides, IL-21 is also the only known cytokine to maintain the functionalities of CD8+ T cells in the context of chronic infections or cancers by preventing a loss-of-function program termed 'exhaustion'.
This research program has generated multiple cutting-edge discoveries in the field, producing publications as 1st or joint 1st authors in top-tier journals including Nature Immunology, Science Immunology, and Nature Communications.
Research Impacts
Overall, I published 13x journal articles (6x 1st author or joint 1st author, 1x corresponding author) and 1x book chapter (1st author). The quality of my research in the field of T cell immunology was highlighted by three cutting-edge works published in Nature Immunology ( joint 1st author, 2021, selected as the ‘cover story’ of the September issue), Science Immunology (1st author, 2023, selected in 'Research Highlights' of the Feburary issues of all Science journals), and Nature Communications (joint 1st author, 2021). I also published a co-corresponding author article in Trends in Immunology (2021, selected as the ‘cover story’ of the April issue), reviewing the emerging field of T cell response homeostasis. I am an Ad hoc reviewer for scientific journals, including Frontiers in Immunology, International Immunopharmacology, Molecular Immunology, and Plos one.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University
Publications
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Journal Article: Heparan sulfate regulates IL-21 bioavailability and signal strength that control germinal center B cell selection and differentiation
Chen, Zhian, Cui, Yanfang, Yao, Yin, Liu, Bo, Yunis, Joseph, Gao, Xin, Wang, Naiqi, Cañete, Pablo F., Tuong, Zewen Kelvin, Sun, Hongjian, Wang, Hao, Yang, Siling, Wang, Runli, Leong, Yew Ann, Simon Davis, David, Qin, Jiahuan, Liang, Kaili, Deng, Jun, Wang, Conan K., Huang, Yen-Hua, Roco, Jonathan A., Nettelfield, Sam, Zhu, Huaming, Xu, Huajun, Yu, Zhijia, Craik, David, Liu, Zheng, Qi, Hai, Parish, Christopher and Yu, Di (2023). Heparan sulfate regulates IL-21 bioavailability and signal strength that control germinal center B cell selection and differentiation. Science immunology, 8 (80) eadd1728, 1-17. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.add1728
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Journal Article: Context-dependent regulation of follicular helper T cell survival
Chen, Zhian, Wang, Naiqi, Yao, Yin and Yu, Di (2022). Context-dependent regulation of follicular helper T cell survival. Trends in Immunology, 43 (4), 309-321. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2022.02.002
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Journal Article: Evolution of γ chain cytokines: mechanisms, methods and applications
Antczak, Magdalena, Cañete, Pablo F., Chen, Zhian, Belle, Clémence and Yu, Di (2022). Evolution of γ chain cytokines: mechanisms, methods and applications. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, 20, 4746-4755. doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.08.050
Grants
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Decipher interleukin-21's biochemical interactions and engineer next-generation immunotherapies
(2024–2028) NHMRC Investigator Grants
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(2024–2026) Cure Cancer Early Career Research Grants
Supervision
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Control of antibody selection by follicular helper T cells in vaccination and autoimmunity
Doctor Philosophy
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Follicular cytotoxic T cell differentiation and function in infection and B-cell lymphoma
Doctor Philosophy
Available Projects
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T cell cytokine-mediated humoral and cellular immunity
Please contact us if you are interested in PhD and Honours projects on:
1. Deciphering new molecular mechanisms that regulate key cytokine signalling in immune cell differentiation and function;
2. Understanding how cytokines contribute to the finely-regulated immune cell selection in vaccine response;
3. Unraveling novel pathways sustaining T cell immunity in cancers and developing cytokine-based immunotherapeutics.
Publications
Book Chapter
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Therapeutic modulation of T follicular helper cells by low-dose IL-2 treatment
Chen, Zhian, Liang, Kaili, Deng, Jun and Yu, Di (2022). Therapeutic modulation of T follicular helper cells by low-dose IL-2 treatment. T-follicular helper cells: methods and protocols. (pp. 255-265) New York, NY, United States: Humana Press. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1736-6_21
Journal Article
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Chen, Zhian, Cui, Yanfang, Yao, Yin, Liu, Bo, Yunis, Joseph, Gao, Xin, Wang, Naiqi, Cañete, Pablo F., Tuong, Zewen Kelvin, Sun, Hongjian, Wang, Hao, Yang, Siling, Wang, Runli, Leong, Yew Ann, Simon Davis, David, Qin, Jiahuan, Liang, Kaili, Deng, Jun, Wang, Conan K., Huang, Yen-Hua, Roco, Jonathan A., Nettelfield, Sam, Zhu, Huaming, Xu, Huajun, Yu, Zhijia, Craik, David, Liu, Zheng, Qi, Hai, Parish, Christopher and Yu, Di (2023). Heparan sulfate regulates IL-21 bioavailability and signal strength that control germinal center B cell selection and differentiation. Science immunology, 8 (80) eadd1728, 1-17. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.add1728
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Context-dependent regulation of follicular helper T cell survival
Chen, Zhian, Wang, Naiqi, Yao, Yin and Yu, Di (2022). Context-dependent regulation of follicular helper T cell survival. Trends in Immunology, 43 (4), 309-321. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2022.02.002
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Evolution of γ chain cytokines: mechanisms, methods and applications
Antczak, Magdalena, Cañete, Pablo F., Chen, Zhian, Belle, Clémence and Yu, Di (2022). Evolution of γ chain cytokines: mechanisms, methods and applications. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, 20, 4746-4755. doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.08.050
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Longevity of vaccine protection: immunological mechanism, assessment methods, and improving strategy
Chen, Zhian, Gao, Xin and Yu, Di (2022). Longevity of vaccine protection: immunological mechanism, assessment methods, and improving strategy. View, 3 (1) 20200103, 20200103. doi: 10.1002/viw.20200103
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Author Correction: Selenium–GPX4 axis protects follicular helper T cells from ferroptosis
Yao, Yin, Chen, Zhian, Zhang, Hao, Chen, Cailing, Zeng, Ming, Yunis, Joseph, Wei, Yunbo, Wan, Yanmin, Wang, Naiqi, Zhou, Mingzhe, Qiu, Chao, Zeng, Qunxiong, Ong, Hong Sheng, Wang, Hao, Makota, Fadzai Victor, Yang, Yang, Yang, Zhaohui, Wang, Nan, Deng, Jun, Shen, Chao, Xia, Yan, Yuan, Lin, Lian, Zhaoqin, Deng, Yike, Guo, Cuilian, Huang, Ao, Zhou, Pengcheng, Shi, Haibo, Zhang, Weitian ... Yu, Di (2021). Author Correction: Selenium–GPX4 axis protects follicular helper T cells from ferroptosis. Nature Immunology, 22 (12), 1599-1599. doi: 10.1038/s41590-021-01063-4
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Qin, Jiahuan, Huang, Xia, Wang, Naiqi, Zhou, Pengcheng, Zhang, Hao, Chen, Zhian, Liang, Kaili, Gong, Dongcheng, Zeng, Qunxiong, Niu, Peng, Chen, Anping, Yuan, Lin, Yang, Zhaohui, Su, Linchong, Shen, Nan, Deng, Jun and Yu, Di (2021). Supranutritional selenium suppresses ROS‐induced generation of RANKL‐expressing osteoclastogenic CD4 + T cells and ameliorates rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical & Translational Immunology, 10 (9) e1338, e1338. doi: 10.1002/cti2.1338
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Selenium–GPX4 axis protects follicular helper T cells from ferroptosis
Yao, Yin, Chen, Zhian, Zhang, Hao, Chen, Cailing, Zeng, Ming, Yunis, Joseph, Wei, Yunbo, Wan, Yanmin, Wang, Naiqi, Zhou, Mingzhe, Qiu, Chao, Zeng, Qunxiong, Ong, Hong Sheng, Wang, Hao, Makota, Fadzai Victor, Yang, Yang, Yang, Zhaohui, Wang, Nan, Deng, Jun, Shen, Chao, Xia, Yan, Yuan, Lin, Lian, Zhaoqin, Deng, Yike, Guo, Cuilian, Huang, Ao, Zhou, Pengcheng, Shi, Haibo, Zhang, Weitian ... Yu, Di (2021). Selenium–GPX4 axis protects follicular helper T cells from ferroptosis. Nature Immunology, 22 (9), 1127-1139. doi: 10.1038/s41590-021-00996-0
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Liang, Kaili, He, Jing, Wei, Yunbo, Zeng, Qunxiong, Gong, Dongcheng, Qin, Jiahuan, Ding, Huihua, Chen, Zhian, Zhou, Ping, Niu, Peng, Chen, Qian, Ding, Chenguang, Lu, Liangjing, Chen, Xiao-Xiang, Li, Zhanguo, Shen, Nan, Yu, Di and Deng, Jun (2021). Sustained low-dose interleukin-2 therapy alleviates pathogenic humoral immunity via elevating the Tfr/Tfh ratio in lupus. Clinical and Translational Immunology, 10 (6) e1293, e1293. doi: 10.1002/cti2.1293
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The metabolic hormone leptin promotes the function of TFH cells and supports vaccine responses
Deng, Jun, Chen, Qian, Chen, Zhian, Liang, Kaili, Gao, Xin, Wang, Xiaohui, Makota, Fadzai V., Ong, Hong Sheng, Wan, Yanmin, Luo, Kaiming, Gong, Dongcheng, Yu, Xiang, Camuglia, Sarina, Zeng, Qunxiong, Zhou, Tao, Xue, Feng, He, Jing, Wei, Yunbo, Xiao, Fan, Ma, Jianyang, Hill, Danika L., Pierson, Wim, Nguyen, Thi H. O., Zhou, Haibo, Wang, Yan, Shen, Wei, Sun, Lingyun, Li, Zhanguo, Xia, Qiang ... Yu, Di (2021). The metabolic hormone leptin promotes the function of TFH cells and supports vaccine responses. Nature Communications, 12 (1) 3073, 3073. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23220-x
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Xie, Min, Yunis, Joseph, Yao, Yin, Shi, Jing, Yang, Yang, Zhou, Pengcheng, Liang, Kaili, Wan, Yanmin, Mehdi, Ahmed, Chen, Zhian, Wang, Naiqi, Xu, Shuyun, Zhou, Min, Yu, Muqing, Wang, Ke, Tao, Yu, Zhou, Ying, Li, Xiaochen, Liu, Xiansheng, Yu, Xiao, Wei, Yunbo, Liu, Zheng, Sprent, Jonathan and Yu, Di (2021). High levels of soluble CD25 in COVID‐19 severity suggest a divergence between anti‐viral and pro‐inflammatory T‐cell responses. Clinical & Translational Immunology, 10 (2) e1251, e1251. doi: 10.1002/cti2.1251
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CD23 expression on switched memory B cells bridges T-B cell interaction in allergic rhinitis
Yao, Yin, Wang, Nan, Chen, Cai-Ling, Pan, Li, Wang, Zhi-Chao, Yunis, Joseph, Chen, Zhi-An, Zhang, Yu, Hu, Si-Tao, Xu, Xiao-Yan, Zhu, Rong-Fei, Yu, Di and Liu, Zheng (2020). CD23 expression on switched memory B cells bridges T-B cell interaction in allergic rhinitis. Allergy, 75 (10), 1-14. doi: 10.1111/all.14288
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An optimized method to differentiate mouse follicular helper T cells in vitro
Gao, Xin, Wang, Hao, Chen, Zhian, Zhou, Pengcheng and Yu, Di (2019). An optimized method to differentiate mouse follicular helper T cells in vitro. Cellular and Molecular Immunology, 17 (7), 779-781. doi: 10.1038/s41423-019-0329-7
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Deng, Jun, Fan, Chaofan, Gao, Xin, Zeng, Qunxiong, Guo, Ruru, Wei, Yunbo, Chen, Zhian, Chen, Yanan, Gong, Dongcheng, Feng, Jia, Xia, Yan, Xiang, Shifei, Gong, Shushi, Yuan, Lin, Shen, Wei, Shen, Wenyan, Lin, Lin, Jiang, Ting, He, Dongyi, Lu, Liangjing, Chen, Xiaoxiang and Yu, Di (2019). Corrigendum: signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 hyperactivation associates with follicular helper t cell differentiation and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (Front. Immunol., (2018), 9, 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01226). Frontiers in Immunology, 10 (AUG) 2008. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02008
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Deng, Jun, Fan, Chaofan, Gao, Xin, Zeng, Qunxiong, Guo, Ruru, Wei, Yunbo, Chen, Zhian, Chen, Yanan, Gong, Dongcheng, Feng, Jia, Xia, Yan, Xiang, Shifei, Gong, Shushi, Yuan, Lin, Shen, Wei, Shen, Wenyan, Lin, Lin, Jiang, Ting, He, Dongyi, Lu, Liangjing, Chen, Xiaoxiang and Yu, Di (2018). Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 hyperactivation associates with follicular helper T cell differentiation and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. Frontiers in Immunology, 9 (JUN) 1226, 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01226
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Chen, Zhian, Cui, Yanfang, Leong, Yew Ann, Beddoe, Travis and Yu, Di (2013). Efficient production of recombinant IL-21 proteins for pre-clinical studies by a two-step dilution refolding method. International Immunopharmacology, 16 (3), 376-381. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2013.02.017
Grants (Administered at UQ)
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Decipher interleukin-21's biochemical interactions and engineer next-generation immunotherapies
(2024–2028) NHMRC Investigator Grants
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(2024–2026) Cure Cancer Early Career Research Grants
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
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Control of antibody selection by follicular helper T cells in vaccination and autoimmunity
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
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Follicular cytotoxic T cell differentiation and function in infection and B-cell lymphoma
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Possible Research Projects
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
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T cell cytokine-mediated humoral and cellular immunity
Please contact us if you are interested in PhD and Honours projects on:
1. Deciphering new molecular mechanisms that regulate key cytokine signalling in immune cell differentiation and function;
2. Understanding how cytokines contribute to the finely-regulated immune cell selection in vaccine response;
3. Unraveling novel pathways sustaining T cell immunity in cancers and developing cytokine-based immunotherapeutics.
