Tianming Zhao

I have completed my Bachelor's degree in Basic Medical Sciences at Zhejiang University. I am currently working towards an MRes in Oncology at the University of Oxford.

During my undergraduate studies, I had the privilege of working in Professor Di Wang’s lab, where our research focused on three key areas: tissue repair, intestinal immunity, and tumor immunity. Under the guidance of Dr. Zhexu Chi, I contributed to a number of interesting projects. Three papers I contributed to align with these three research directions:

• Tissue repair - Chi Z, Chen S, Yang D, Cui W, Lu Y, Wang Z, Li M, Yu W, Zhang J, Jiang Y, Sun R, Yu Q, Hu T, Lu X, Deng Q, Yang Y, Zhao T, Chang M, Li Y, Zhang X, Shang M, Xiao Q, Ding K, Wang D. Gasdermin D-mediated metabolic crosstalk promotes tissue repair. Nature. 2024 Oct;634(8036):1168-1177. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08022-7. Epub 2024 Sep 11. PMID: 39260418.
• Intestinal immunity - Yu Q, Jiang D, Zhao T, Guan Y, Zhang J, Chi Z, Yang D, Sun R, Yu W, Wang Z, Chen S, Li M, Hu T, Deng Q, Lu X, Yang Y, Chang M, Du L, Zhang X, Wang D. Gasdermin-D-mediated epithelial-immune circuit synchronizes nutrient absorption and host defense in the small intestine. Immunity. 2025 Jul 24. doi.org: 10.1016/j.immuni.2025.06.019. Epub ahead of print.
• Tumor immunity - Lu Y,  Zhao T,  Chi Z,  Wang D. Regulation of immune cell metabolism in tumor microenvironment. Progress in Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2022, 46(8): 577-587. doi: 10.20053/j.issn1001-5094.2022.08.003.

One paper provides a comprehensive overview of the role of the star molecular Gasdermin D across these three contexts.

• Comprehensive overview - Zhao T, Chi Z, Wang D. Versatility of gasdermin D beyond pyroptosis. Trends in cell biology. 2025 Mar 21:S0962-8924(25)00061-3. doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2025.02.011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40121145.

As part of my graduate studies, I am now working in the lab of Associate Professor Eileen Parkes, where we focus on the regulation of the cGAS-STING pathway in tumor microenvironment. My current research is centered around T cells and dendritic cells, exploring their interactions and implications in immune responses.