The immune system must strike a delicate balance—strong enough to attack infections and cancer, yet controlled enough to avoid damaging healthy tissues. A key regulator of this balance is a molecule called TGF-β, which can either suppress or activate immune responses depending on the context. In cancer, TGF-β often promotes tumor growth and immune evasion, while in autoimmune diseases, it helps maintain tolerance and prevent inflammation. Because of its dual roles, targeting TGF-β has proven challenging, and past attempts to block it broadly have failed in clinical trials. Dr. Qinli Sun’s research takes a new approach: rather than blocking TGF-β, he is engineering precise, targeted versions of the molecule that can activate beneficial immune pathways while avoiding harmful side effects.
Building on this idea, Dr. Sun has created an innovative TGF-β agonist platform that allows selective activation of TGF-β signaling in specific immune cells. As a proof of concept, he engineered a combined IL-2–TGF-β agonist that induces regulatory T cells—immune cells that calm inflammation and promote tolerance—without affecting unrelated tissues. This engineered molecule effectively reduced airway inflammation in preclinical studies, demonstrating the potential of such “smart” cytokine therapies. Now, Dr. Sun is expanding this platform to design new agonists that could suppress autoimmunity or fine-tune immune responses to improve cancer immunotherapy.
Dr. Sun brings extensive expertise in T cell biology, cytokine signaling, and protein engineering. His work bridges fundamental immunology and translational medicine, aiming to turn complex immune regulators like TGF-β into precise therapeutic tools. By reprogramming how immune cells interpret TGF-β signals, his research could lead to safer, more effective treatments for autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation, and cancer.
Sponsor
K. Christopher Garcia, PhD
Projects and Grants
Therapeutic Development of Engineered TGF-β Agonists for Autoimmunity and Cancer
