Tuoqi Wu, Ph.D. - Faculty Profile

Biography

I am intersted in understanding the molecular pathways that govern immune cell differentiation and function in cancer and infection. I hope to apply this knowledge to the development of more effective immunotherapies. My study revealed that transcription factor TCF1 in T follicular helper cells is required for the development of germinal center B cells and long-term humoral immunity (Cell Rep. 2015). I have characterized a novel stem cell-like CD8 T cell population that is required for long-term cellular immunity and the response induced by immunotherapies including immune checkpoint inhibitor (Sci Immunol. 2016). Using cutting-edge single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic methods, I discovered that transcription factor TOX promotes the generation and persistence of exhausted CD8 T cells (Nat Immunol. 2019). I have also found that transcriptional repressor BACH2 protects T-cell stemness and suppresses terminal exhaustion of CD8 T cells through transcriptional and epigenetic programming (Nat Immunol. 2021). In addition, we demonstrated that transcription factors FOXP1 and KLF2 reciprocally regulate the differentiation of stem-like CAR T cells to effector-like CAR T cells and control antitumor immunity (Nat Immunol. 2024). Our more recent study revealed a role of redox sensor KEAP1 promotes response by stem-like T cells and long-term T cell immunity by limiting NRF2-driven hyperactivation (Sci Immunol. 2024).

Education
2007-2013 - Ph.D., Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Thesis Advisor: Rafi Ahmed

2003-2007 - B.S. in Biotechnology, Dual B.S. in Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, China

Positions
2021-present - Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

2019-2021 - Assistant professor, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO

2013-2019 - Visiting fellow, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

2008-2013 - Graduate research assistant, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

2006-2007 - Undergraduate researcher, National Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Beijing, China

Research Interest

cancer immunotherapy
immunosenescence, aging
T cell exhaustion
T cell stemness

Publications

Featured Publications

Aging Compromises Terminal Differentiation Program of Cytotoxic Effector Lineage and Promotes Exhaustion in CD8⁺ T Cells Responding to Coronavirus Infection.: Zhu Z, Lou G, Luo Y, Yihunie K, Hoar J, Daniel JA, Evers BM, Yao C, Wu T, Aging Cell 2025 May e70109
The redox sensor KEAP1 facilitates adaptation of T cells to chronic antigen stimulation by preventing hyperactivation.: Zhu Z, Luo Y, Lou G, Yihunie K, Wizzard S, DeVilbiss AW, Muh S, Ma C, Shinde SS, Hoar J, Hu T, Zhang N, Biswal S, DeBerardinis RJ, Wu T, Yao C, Sci Immunol 2024 Nov 9 101 eadk2954
FOXP1 and KLF2 reciprocally regulate checkpoints of stem-like to effector transition in CAR T cells.: Zhu Z, Lou G, Teng XL, Wang H, Luo Y, Shi W, Yihunie K, Hao S, DeGolier K, Liao C, Huang H, Zhang Q, Fry T, Wang T, Yao C, Wu T, Nat Immunol 2023 Nov
BACH2 enforces the transcriptional and epigenetic programs of stem-like CD8⁺ T cells.: Yao C, Lou G, Sun HW, Zhu Z, Sun Y, Chen Z, Chauss D, Moseman EA, Cheng J, D'Antonio MA, Shi W, Shi J, Kometani K, Kurosaki T, Wherry EJ, Afzali B, Gattinoni L, Zhu Y, McGavern DB, O'Shea JJ, Schwartzberg PL, Wu T, Nat Immunol 2021 Mar 22 3 370-380
Single-cell RNA-seq reveals TOX as a key regulator of CD8⁺ T cell persistence in chronic infection.: Yao C, Sun HW, Lacey NE, Ji Y, Moseman EA, Shih HY, Heuston EF, Kirby M, Anderson S, Cheng J, Khan O, Handon R, Reilley J, Fioravanti J, Hu J, Gossa S, Wherry EJ, Gattinoni L, McGavern DB, O'Shea JJ, Schwartzberg PL, Wu T, Nat. Immunol. 2019 07 20 7 890-901
The TCF1-Bcl6 axis counteracts type I interferon to repress exhaustion and maintain T cell stemness.: Wu T, Ji Y, Moseman EA, Xu HC, Manglani M, Kirby M, Anderson SM, Handon R, Kenyon E, Elkahloun A, Wu W, Lang PA, Gattinoni L, McGavern DB, Schwartzberg PL Sci Immunol 2016 Dec 1 6
TCF1 Is Required for the T Follicular Helper Cell Response to Viral Infection.: Wu T, Shin HM, Moseman EA, Ji Y, Huang B, Harly C, Sen JM, Berg LJ, Gattinoni L, McGavern DB, Schwartzberg PL, Cell Rep 2015 Sep 12 12 2099-110
The prostacyclin receptor PTGIR is a NRF2-dependent regulator of CD8⁺ T cell exhaustion.: Dahabieh MS, DeCamp LM, Oswald BM, Kitchen-Goosen SM, Fu Z, Vos M, Compton SE, Longo J, Foy NM, Williams KS, Ellis AE, Johnson A, Sodiya I, Vincent M, Lee H, Yao C, Wu T, Sheldon RD, Krawczyk CM, Jones RG, Nat Immunol 2025 Jul 26 7 1139-1151
Profiling antigen-binding affinity of B cell repertoires in tumors by deep learning predicts immune-checkpoint inhibitor treatment outcomes.: Song B, Wang K, Na S, Yao J, Fattah FJ, Martin AL, von Itzstein MS, Yang DM, Liu J, Xue Y, Liang C, Guo Y, Raman I, Zhu C, Dowell JE, Homsi J, Rashdan S, Yang S, Gwin ME, Wu T, Hsiehchen D, Gloria-McCutchen Y, Lu CP, Raj P, Bai XC, Wang J, Conejo-Garcia J, Xie Y, Huang J, Gerber DE, Wang T, Nat Cancer 2025 Jun
Dynamic STING repression orchestrates immune cell development and function.: Knox K, Jeltema D, Dobbs N, Yang K, Xing C, Song K, Tang Z, Torres-Ramirez G, Wang J, Gao S, Wu T, Yao C, Wang J, Yan N, Sci Immunol 2025 Mar 10 105 eado9933

Honors & Awards

Hevolution/AFAR New Investigator Award
(2025)
The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Lloyd J. Old STAR Program
(2025)
ICIS-Regeneron New Investigator Award
(2024)
ASPIRE Award for Outstanding Early Career Investigators (The American Association of Immunologists, AAI)
(2023)
AAI Early Career Faculty Travel Grant
(2021)
AFAR Grants for Junior Faculty
(2021-2023)
V Scholar Award (The V Foundation For Cancer Research)
(2020-2022)
The 19th Annual Norman P. Salzman Memorial Award in Virology
(2017)