Jianhua Yu, Ph.D.

Prior to joining City of Hope, Yu was a tenured professor in the Division of Hematology of the College of Medicine and the Comprehensive Cancer Center at The Ohio State University. Yu received his Ph.D. degree from Purdue University in 2003 and then moved to The Ohio State University for his postdoctoral training, where he subsequently accepted a junior faculty position and advanced through the tenure track.
Yu has authored or co-authored over 230 publications, many of the which are in high-impact journals, in the field of natural killer cell biology, cancer immunotherapy, oncolytic virotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, etc. Work from Yu and his colleagues has also resulted in over 30 patents (awarded or pending).
In 2015, Yu received The Jack Latham Memorial Award for Innovative Research from the American Association of Blood Banks and the Janet D. Rowley Medical Award from Gabrielle's Angel Foundation and FAME Faculty of the Year Award for researchers from College of Medicine at The Ohio State University. Yu is a scholar at several national research foundations, including National Blood Foundation, American Cancer Society, and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Duarte - Main Campus
Duarte, CA 91010
2003, Ph.D., Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
2005, College of Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center, James Cancer Hospital, Columbus, OH
2018-present, Director and Professor, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2018, Professor with Tenure, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center and the James Cancer Hospital, The Ohio State University, OH
2015-2018, Associate Professor with Tenure, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center and the James Cancer Hospital, The Ohio State University, OH
2011-2015, Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center and the James Cancer Hospital, Ohio State University, OH
2007-2011, Research Scientist, Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, OH
2005-2006, Research Associate, Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, OH
2003-2005, Postdoctoral Researcher, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
2001-2003, Research Assistant, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
If you are interested, please submit your most current curriculum vitae with a publication list and the name and contact information of three references to the following email address and indicate the position that you wish to apply as the title of your email.
2023, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) Fellow
2023, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow
2021, Exceptional Project Award, Breast Cancer Alliance
2018, Scholar, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
2018, Miltenyi Faculty Travel Award, the American Association of Immunologists
2015, Jack Latham Memorial Award for Innovative Research, the National Blood Foundation
2015, Research Scholar, the American Cancer Society
2015, Janet D. Rowley Medical Research Award, Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research
2015, FAME Faculty of the Year Award for Researchers, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University
2012, Scientific Research Grant Recipient, the National Blood Foundation
2004, ASH Travel Award, the American Society of Hematology
2003, “Up on the Roof” Postdoctoral Fellowship, the James Cancer Hospital, OSU
- Ma S, Han J, Li Z, Xiao S, Zhang J, Yan J, Tang T, Barr T, Kraft AS, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. An XBP1s-PIM-2 positive feedback loop controls IL-15-mediated survival of natural killer cells. Sci Immunol. 2023 Mar 17;8(81):eabn7993. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abn7993. Epub 2023 Mar 10. PMID: 36897958.
- Ma S, Sun B, Duan S, Barr T, Zhang J, Bissonnette MB, Kortylewski M, He C, Chen J, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. YTHDF2 orchestrates tumor-associated macrophage reporgramming and controls antitumor immunity through CD8+ T cells. Nat Immunol. 2023 Jan 19. doi: 10.1038/s41590-022-01398-6. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36658237.
- Dong W, Wang J, Tian L, Zhang J, Settles EW, Qin C, Steinken-Kollath DR, Itogawa AN, Celona KR, Yi J, Bryant M, Mead H, Jaramillo SA, Lu H, Li A, Zumwalt RE, Dadwal S, Feng P, Yuan W, Whelan SPJ, Keim PS, Barker BM, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Factor Xa cleaves SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to block viral entry and infection. Nat Commun. 2023 Apr 6;14(1):1936. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-37336-9. PMID: 37024459; PMCID: PMC10079155.
- Caligiuri M, Li Z, Ma R, Tang H, Zhang J, Marcucci G, Yu J. Human ILC1s target leukemia stem cells and control development of AML. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2023 Jan 10:rs.3.rs-2319959. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2319959/v1. PMID: 36711868; PMCID: PMC9882609.
- Ma R, Li Z, Chiocca EA, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. The emerging field of oncolytic virus-based cancer immunotherapy. Trends Cancer. 2022 Nov 17:S2405-8033(22)00223-0. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2022.10.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36402738.
- Tian L, Xu B, Chen Y, Li Z, Wang J, Zhang J, Ma R, Cao S, Hu W, Chiocca EA, Kaur B, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Specific targeting of glioblastoma with an oncolytic virus expressing a cetuximab-CCL5 fusion protein via innate and adaptive immunity. Nat Cancer. 2022 Nov;3(11):1318-1335. doi: 10.1038/s43018-022-00448-0. Epub 2022 Nov 10. PMID: 36357700.
- Ma S, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Harnessing IL-15 signaling to potentiate NK cell-mediated cancer immunotherapy. Trends Immunol. 2022 Oct;43(10):833-847. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2022.08.004. Epub 2022 Sep 1. PMID: 36058806.
- Li Z, Ma R, Ma S, Tian L, Lu T, Zhang J, Mundy-Bosse BL, Zhang B, Marcucci G, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. ILC1s control leukemia stem cell fate and limit development of AML. Nat Immunol. 2022 May;23(5):718-730. doi: 10.1038/s41590-022-01198-y. Epub 2022 Apr 29. PMID: 35487987. Journal Cover Story.
- Lu T, Ma R, Dong W, Teng KY, Kollath DS, Li Z, Yi J, Bustillos C, Ma S, Tian L, Mansour AG, Li Z, Settles EW, Zhang J, Keim PS, Barker BM, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Off-the-shelf CAR natural killer cells secreting IL-15 target spike in treating COVID-19. Nat Commun. 2022 May 11;13(1):2576. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-30216-8. PMID: 35546150.
- Ran GH, Lin YQ, Tian L, Zhang T, Yan DM, Yu J*, Deng YC. Natural killer cell homing and trafficking in tissues and tumors: from biology to application. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2022 Jun 29;7(1):205. doi: 10.1038/s41392-022-01058-z. PMID: 35768424. *Co-corresponding author.
- Li X, Ma S, Deng Y, Yi P, Yu J. Targeting the RNA m6A modification for cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer. 2022 Mar 16;21(1):76. doi: 10.1186/s12943-022-01558-0. PMID: 35296338.
- Ma S, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. A four-stage model for murine natural killer cell development in vivo. J Hematol Oncol. 2022 Mar 21;15(1):31. doi: 10.1186/s13045-022-01243-1. PMID: 35313938.
- Teng KY, Mansour AG, Zhu Z, Li Z, Tian L, Ma S, Xu B, Lu T, Chen H, Hou D, Zhang J, Priceman SJ, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Off-the-shelf PSCA-directed chimeric antigen receptor natural killer cell therapy to treat pancreatic cancer. Gastroenterology. 2022 Jan 6:S0016-5085(22)00001-4. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.12.281. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34999097
- Ma S, Tang T, Wu X, Mansour AG, Lu T, Zhang J, Wang LS, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. PDGF-D-PDGFRβ signaling enhances IL-15-mediated human natural killer cell survival. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Jan 18;119(3):e2114134119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2114134119. PMID: 35027451.
- Tian L, Xu B, Teng KY, Song M, Zhu Z, Chen Y, Wang J, Zhang J, Feng M, Kaur B, Rodriguez L, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Targeting Fc receptor-mediated effects and the "Don't Eat Me" signal with an oncolytic virus expressing an anti-CD47 antibody to treat metastatic ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2022 Jan 1;28(1):201-214. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-21-1248. Epub 2021 Oct 13. PMID: 34645647.
- Dong W, Mead H, Tian L, Park JG, Garcia JI, Jaramillo S, Barr T, Kollath DS, Coyne VK, Stone NE, Jones A, Zhang J, Li A, Wang LS, Milanes-Yearsley M, Torrelles JB, Martinez-Sobrido L, Keim PS, Barker BM, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. The K18-hACE2 transgenic mouse model recapitulates non-severe and severe COVID-19 in response to infectious dose of SARS-CoV-2 virus. J Virol. 2021 Oct 20:JVI0096421. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00964-21. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34668775.
- Xu B, Tian L, Chen J, Wang J, Ma R, Dong W, Li A, Zhang J, Antonio Chiocca E, Kaur B, Feng M, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. An oncolytic virus expressing a full-length antibody enhances antitumor innate immune response to glioblastoma. Nat Commun. 2021 Oct 8;12(1):5908. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26003-6. PMID: 34625564.
- Lu T, Ma R, Li Z, Mansour AG, Teng KY, Chen L, Zhang J, Barr T, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Hijacking TYRO3 from tumor cells via trogocytosis enhances NK-cell effector functions and proliferation. Cancer Immunol Res. 2021 Oct;9(10):1229-1241. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-20-1014. Epub 2021 Jul 29. PMID: 34326137.
- Ma R, Lu T, Li Z, Teng KY, Mansour AG, Yu M, Tian L, Xu B, Ma S, Zhang J, Barr T, Peng Y, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. An oncolytic virus expressing IL15/IL15Rα combined with off-the-shelf EGFR-CAR NK cells targets glioblastoma. Cancer Res. 2021 Jul 1;81(13):3635-3648. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-0035. Epub 2021 May 18. PMID: 34006525.
- Yilmaz A, Cui H, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Chimeric antigen receptor engineered natural killer cells for cancer immunotherapy. J Hematol Oncol. 2020 Dec 7;13(1):168. doi: 10.1186/s13045-020-00998-9. PMID: 33287875.
- Ma S, Yan J, Barr T, Zhang J, Chen Z, Wang LS, Sun JC, Chen J, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. The RNA m6A reader YTHDF2 controls NK cell antitumor and antiviral immunity. J Exp Med. 2021 Aug 2;218(8):e20210279. doi: 10.1084/jem.20210279. Epub 2021 Jun 23. PMID: 34160549.
- Xu B, Ma R, Russell L, Yoo JY, Han J, Cui H, Yi P, Zhang J, Nakashima H, Dai H, Chiocca EA, Kaur B, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. An oncolytic herpesvirus expressing E-cadherin improves survival in mouse models of glioblastoma. Nat Biotechnol. 2018 Nov 26:10.1038/nbt.4302. doi: 10.1038/nbt.4302. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 30475349.
- Dong W, Wu X, Ma S, Wang Y, Nalin AP, Zhu Z, Zhang J, Benson DM, He K, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. The Mechanism of Anti-PD-L1 Antibody Efficacy against PD-L1-Negative Tumors Identifies NK Cells Expressing PD-L1 as a Cytolytic Effector. Cancer Discov. 2019 Oct;9(10):1422-1437. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-18-1259. Epub 2019 Jul 24. PMID: 31340937.
- Wang Y, Zhang Y, Yi P, Dong W, Nalin AP, Zhang J, Zhu Z, Chen L, Benson DM, Mundy-Bosse BL, Freud AG, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. The IL-15-AKT-XBP1s signaling pathway contributes to effector functions and survival in human NK cells. Nat Immunol. 2019 Jan;20(1):10-17. doi: 10.1038/s41590-018-0265-1. Epub 2018 Dec 10. PMID: 30538328.
- Wang Y, Chu J, Yi P, Dong W, Saultz J, Wang Y, Wang H, Scoville S, Zhang J, Wu LC, Deng Y, He X, Mundy-Bosse B, Freud AG, Wang LS, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. SMAD4 promotes TGF-β-independent NK cell homeostasis and maturation and antitumor immunity. J Clin Invest. 2018 Nov 1;128(11):5123-5136. doi: 10.1172/JCI121227. Epub 2018 Oct 15. PMID: 30183689.
- Wang Y, Zhang Y, Hughes T, Zhang J, Caligiuri MA, Benson DM, Yu J. Fratricide of NK cells in daratumumab therapy for multiple myeloma overcome by ex vivo-expanded autologous NK cells. Clin Cancer Res. 2018 Aug 15;24(16):4006-4017. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-17-3117. Epub 2018 Apr 17. PMID: 29666301.
- Chan WK, Kang S, Youssef Y, Glankler EN, Barrett ER, Carter AM, Ahmed EH, Prasad A, Chen L, Zhang J, Benson DM Jr, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. A CS1-NKG2D bispecific antibody collectively activates cytolytic immune cells against multiple myeloma. Cancer Immunol Res. 2018 Jul;6(7):776-787. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-17-0649. PMID: 29769244.
- Li X, Dong W, Nalin AP, Wang Y, Pan P, Xu B, Zhang Y, Tun S, Zhang J, Wang LS, He X, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. The natural product chitosan enhances the anti-tumor activity of natural killer cells by activating dendritic cells. Oncoimmunology. 2018 Mar 13;7(6):e1431085. doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2018.1431085. PMID: 29872557.
- Deng Y, Wang F, Hughes T, Yu J. FOXOs in cancer immunity: knowns and unknowns. Seminars in Cancer Biology. 2018 Jun;50:53-64. doi: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2018.01.005. Epub 2018 Jan 5. PMID: 29309928.
- Wang Y, Dong W, Zhang Y, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Dependence of innate lymphoid cell 1 development on NKp46. PLoS Biol. 2018 Apr 27;16(4):e2004867. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2004867. PMID: 29702643.
- Victor AR, Nalin AP, Dong W, McClory S, Wei M, Mao C, Kladney RD, Youssef Y, Chan WK, Briercheck EL, Hughes T, Scoville SD, Pitarresi JR, Chen C, Manz S, Wu LC, Zhang J, Ostrowski MC, Freud AG, Leone GW, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. IL-18 Drives ILC3 proliferation and promotes IL-22 production via NF-κB. J Immunol. 2017 Oct 1;199(7):2333-2342. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601554. Epub 2017 Aug 25. PMID: 28842466.
- Chen L, Mao H, Zhang J, Chu J, Devine S, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. Targeting FLT3 by chimeric antigen receptor T cells for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia. 2017 Aug;31(8):1830-1834. doi: 10.1038/leu.2017.147. Epub 2017 May 12. PMID: 28496177.
- Zhao S, Zhang L, Han J, Chu J, Wang H, Chen X, Wang Y, Tun N, Lu L, Bai X, Martha Y, Devine S, He X, Yu J. Conformal nanoencapsulation of allogeneic T cells mitigates graft-versus-host disease and retains graft-versus-leukemia activity. ACS Nano. 2016, 10(6):6189-200. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.6b02206. PMID: 27224853.
- Han J, Chen X, Chu J, Xu B, Meisen WH, Chen L, Zhang L, Zhang J, He X, Wang QE, Chiocca EA, Kaur B, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. TGFβ Treatment Enhances Glioblastoma Virotherapy by Inhibiting the Innate Immune Response. Cancer Res. 2015 Dec 15;75(24):5273-82. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-0894. Epub 2015 Dec 2. PMID: 26631269.
- Deng Y, Kerdiles Y, Chu J, Yuan S, Wang Y, Chen X, Mao H, Zhang L, Zhang J, Hughes T, Deng Y, Zhang Q, Wang F, Zou X, Liu CG, Freud AG, Li X, Caligiuri MA, Vivier E, Yu J. Transcription factor Foxo1 is a negative regulator of natural killer cell maturation and function. Immunity. 2015 Mar 17;42(3):457-70. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2015.02.006. Epub 2015 Mar 10. PMID: 25769609.
- Chu J, He S, Deng Y, Zhang J, Peng Y, Hughes T, Yi L, Kwon CH, Wang QE, Devine SM, He X, Bai XF, Hofmeister CC, Yu J. Genetic modification of T cells redirected toward CS1 enhances eradication of myeloma cells. Clin Cancer Res. 2014 Aug 1;20(15):3989-4000. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-13-2510. Epub 2014 Mar 27. PMID: 24677374.
- He S, Chu J, Vasu S, Deng Y, Yuan S, Zhang J, Fan Z, Hofmeister CC, He X, Marsh HC, Devine SM, Yu J. FLT3L and plerixafor combination increases hematopoietic stem cell mobilization and leads to improved transplantation outcome. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2014 Mar;20(3):309-13. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2013.11.024. Epub 2013 Dec 21. PMID: 24365795.
- Deng Y, Chu J, Ren Y, Fan Z, Ji X, Mundy-Bosse B, Yuan S, Hughes T, Zhang J, Cheema B, Camardo AT, Xia Y, Wu LC, Wang LS, He X, Kinghorn AD, Li X, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. The natural product phyllanthusmin C enhances IFN-γ production by human NK cells through upregulation of TLR-mediated NF-κB signaling. J Immunol. 2014 Sep 15;193(6):2994-3002. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1302600. Epub 2014 Aug 13. PMID: 25122922.
- Chu J, Deng Y, Benson DM, He S, Hughes T, Zhang J, Peng Y, Mao H, Yi L, Ghoshal K, He X, Devine SM, Zhang X, Caligiuri MA, Hofmeister CC, Yu J. CS1-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered natural killer cells enhance in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity against human multiple myeloma. Leukemia. 2014 Apr;28(4):917-27. doi: 10.1038/leu.2013.279. Epub 2013 Sep 26. PMID: 24067492.
- He S, Chu J, Wu LC, Mao H, Peng Y, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Hughes T, Wei M, Zhang J, Yuan S, Sandhu S, Vasu S, Benson DM Jr, Hofmeister CC, He X, Ghoshal K, Devine SM, Caligiuri MA, Yu J. MicroRNAs activate natural killer cells through Toll-like receptor signaling. Blood. 2013 Jun 6;121(23):4663-71. doi: 10.1182/blood-2012-07-441360. Epub 2013 Apr 11. PMID: 23580661.
- Yu J*, Freud AG, Caligiuri MA*. Location and cellular stages of natural killer cell development. Trends Immunol. 2013 Dec;34(12):573-82. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2013.07.005. Epub 2013 Sep 19. PMID: 24055329. *Communicating author.
- Alvarez-Breckenridge CA#, Yu J#, Price R, Wojton J, Pradarelli J, Mao H, Wei M, Wang Y, He S, Hardcastle J, Fernandez SA, Kaur B, Lawler SE, Vivier E, Mandelboim O, Moretta A, Caligiuri MA, Chiocca EA. NK cells impede glioblastoma virotherapy through NKp30 and NKp46 natural cytotoxicity receptors. Nat Med. 2012 Dec;18(12):1827-34. doi: 10.1038/nm.3013. Epub 2012 Nov 25. PMID: 23178246. #Co-first author.
- Hsu SH#, Wang B#, Kota J#, Yu J#, Costinean S, Kutay H, Yu L, Bai S, La Perle K, Chivukula RR, Mao H, Wei M, Clark KR, Mendell JR, Caligiuri MA, Jacob ST, Mendell JT, Ghoshal K. Essential metabolic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumorigenic functions of miR-122 in liver. J Clin Invest. 2012 Aug;122(8):2871-83. doi: 10.1172/JCI63539. Epub 2012 Jul 23. PMID: 22820288. *Co-first author.
- Yu J. Zoledronate activates NK cells. Blood. 2011 Sep 8;118(10):2642-3. doi: 10.1182/blood-2011-06-362707. PMID: 21903898.
- Yu J*, Mao HC, Wei M, Hughes T, Zhang J, Park IK, Liu S, McClory S, Marcucci G, Trotta R, Caligiuri MA*. CD94 surface density identifies a functional intermediary between the CD56bright and CD56dim human NK-cell subsets. Blood. 2010 Jan 14;115(2):274-81. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-04-215491. Epub 2009 Nov 6. PMID: 19897577. *Co-corresponding author. Highlighted in Faculty of 1000 Biology.
- Yu J*, Ershler M, Yu L, Wei M, Hackanson B, Yokohama A, Mitsui T, Liu C, Mao H, Liu S, Liu Z, Trotta R, Liu CG, Liu X, Huang K, Visser J, Marcucci G, Plass C, Belyavsky AV, Caligiuri MA*. TSC-22 contributes to hematopoietic precursor cell proliferation and repopulation and is epigenetically silenced in large granular lymphocyte leukemia. Blood. 2009 May 28;113(22):5558-67. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-02-205732. Epub 2009 Mar 27. PMID: 19329776. *Co-corresponding author.
- Yu J, Wei M, Mao H, Zhang J, Hughes T, Mitsui T, Park IK, Hwang C, Liu S, Marcucci G, Trotta R, Benson DM Jr, Caligiuri MA. CD94 defines phenotypically and functionally distinct mouse NK cell subsets. J Immunol. 2009 Oct 15;183(8):4968-74. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.0900907.PMID: 19801519.
- Yu J, Wei M, Becknell B, Trotta R, Liu S, Boyd Z, Jaung MS, Blaser BW, Sun J, Benson DM, Mao H, Yokohama A, Bhatt D, Shen L, Davuluri R, Weinstein W, Marcucci G, Caligiuri MA. Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine signaling: reciprocal antagonism regulates interferon-gamma production by human natural killer cells. Immunity. 2006 May; 24(5):575-90. PMID: 16713975. Commentary in Immunity, 2006, 24(5): 506-7. In news. Highlighted in Faculty of 1000 Biology.