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Dennis J. Yuan, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Genome Center

Languages

  • English (Native)
  • Chinese (Proficient)

Research interests

My research interests are in utilizing multi-omics datasets to investigate remodeling of the immune system by cancer and treatments. My graduate research is focused on biomaterial design to direct T cell functions, utilizing insights from the role of mechanics in T cell activation and the role of donor variability and disease progression on T cell dysfunction.

Education

Ph.D, Biomedical Engineering

2017 - 2021
Columbia University

M.Sc, Biomedical Engineering

2015 - 2017
Columbia University

B.Sc, Bioengineering, Magna Cum Laude

2011 - 2015
University of California, Los Angeles

Experiences

Postdoctoral Associate

2021 - Present
New York Genome Center

Postdoctoral Fellow

2021 - Present
Weill Cornell Medicine (advisor: Dan Landau, MD PhD)

Graduate Research Assistant, Columbia University

2015 - 2021
Department of Biomedical Engineering (advisor: Lance Kam, PhD)

Thesis: Mechanical Regulation of T cell activation

  • Project: Effect of mechanical properties of antigen presenting systems in T cell activation
  • Project: Electrospun polymer fiber platform for ex vivo expansion of exhausted T cells

TL1 Precision Medicine Fellow, CUIMC

2017 - 2020
Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
  • Project: Personalization of T cell production for cellular immunotherapy

Undergraduate Researcher, UCLA

2014 - 2015
Department of Bioengineering (advisor: Dino di Carlo, PhD)
  • Project: Pressure adjustable microfluidic platform for transfection by mechanical poration

Undergraduate Researcher, UCLA

2013 - 2015
California NanoSystems Institute (advisor: Hsian-Rong Tseng, PhD)
  • Project: Thermoresponsive NanoVelcro Assay for purification of circulating tumor cells
  • Project: Investigation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway in EMT in lung cancer

Publications

  • Biphasic response of T cell activation to substrate stiffness.
    • Yuan DJ, Shi L, Kam LC.
    Biomaterials (2021)

  • Enhanced activation and expansion of T cells using mechanically soft elastomer fibers.
    • Dang A, De Leo S, Bogdanowicz DR, Yuan DJ, Fernandes SM, Brown JR, Lu HH, Kam LC
    Advanced Biosystems (2018)

  • Improving T cell Expansion with a Soft Touch.
    • Lambert L, Goebrecht GKE, De Leo SE, O’Connor RS, Nunez-Cruz S, Li T, Yuan J, Milone MC, Kam LC
    Nano Letters, 17(2), 821-826 (2017)

  • Astrocyte elevated gene-1(AEG-1) induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in lung cancer through activating Wnt/beta-catenin signaling.
    • He W, He S, Wang Z, Shen H, Fang W, Zhang Y, Qian W, Lin M, Yuan J, Wang J, Huang W, Wang L, Ke Z
    BMC Cancer, 15(1), 107. (2015)

    Accepted Abstracts

  • Individualized expansion of T cells from CLL patients for immunotherapy
    • Yuan DJ, Fernandes SM, Brown JR, Kam LC
    J Immunol, 204 (1 Supp), 86.20. (2020)


    Presentations

  • Individualized expansion of T cells from CLL patients for immunotherapy. (Podium)
    • Yuan DJ, Fernandes SM, Brown JR, Kam LC
    American Association of Immunology. Honolulu, HI. (2020 May)

  • Personalization of T cell production for cellular immunotherapy. (Poster)
    • Yuan DJ, Fernandes SM, Brown JR, Kam LC
    Association for Clinical and Translational Science. Washington, DC. (2020 April)

  • Biphasic Response of T Activation to Substrate Rigidity. (Podium)
    • Yuan DJ and Kam LC.
    Biomedical Engineering Society. Philadephia, PA. (2019 October)

  • Biphasic Response of T Activation to Substrate Rigidity. (Poster)
    • Yuan DJ and Kam LC.
    Society for Biomaterials. Seattle, WA. (2019 April)

  • Biphasic Response of T Activation to Substrate Rigidity. (Poster)
    • Yuan DJ and Kam LC.
    Gordon Research Conference, Immunochemistry and Immunobiology. West Dover, VT. (2018 June)

  • Biphasic Response of T Activation to Substrate Rigidity. (Podium)
    • Yuan DJ and Kam LC.
    Biomedical Engineering Society. (2017 October)

    Projects

    Tumor detection from pathology images - Image segmentation and deep learning of lymph node images in breast cancer.
    T cell pMHC affinity predictor - Neural network for predicting affinity of pMHC to HLA alleles.
    Melanoma lesion predictor - Transfer learning for classifying benign and malignant melanoma lesions

    Skills & Proficiency

    Flow cytometry

    Electrospinning

    Cell culture

    Fluorescent and confocal microscopy

    Python

    R