Tao Dong

The aim of Tao Dong’s research group is to investigate the functional aspects of antigen specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL) with a focus on the factors affecting CTL in controlling virus infection and cancer progression. While a robust and appropriate T cell response is typically beneficial to the host during human infections, a weak or inappropriate response can be ineffective or even have a detrimental effect. Over the past two decades, they have been working to understand the key factors required for efficient viral control by T cells in a number of different viral infections and cancer. Establishing both ex-vivo and in-vitro T cell functional evaluation platforms for antigen-specific T cells isolated from tissue and blood. By linking functional data with multi-omic single cell and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire analysis, they continue to identify potential targets and pathways to augment and control the immune response as a way of improving the outcome of several important human diseases including SARS-CoV-2 virus infection and cancer.

[2025] Long-persisting SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific CD4+ T cells associated with mild disease and increased cytotoxicity post COVID-19, Liu G. et al, Nature Communications, 16 [2025] Tumor-specific CD8 T cell characterization in HR+ breast cancer reveals an impaired antitumoral response in patients with lymph node metastasis, Pinho MP. et al, Cell Reports Medicine, 6, 102252 - 102252 [2025] T cell memory response to MPXV infection exhibits greater effector function and migratory potential compared to MVA-BN vaccination, Chen J-L. et al, Nature Communications, 16 [2024] Unconventional human CD61 pairing with CD103 promotes TCR signaling and antigen-specific T cell cytotoxicity, Hamid MHBA. et al, Nature Immunology, 25, 834 - 846 [2023] Vaccine-induced CD8+ T cells are key to protection from SA