Qiao Li

Professor Qiao Li has dedicated his career to the clinical application, teaching, and research of tumor immunology and immunotherapy. He has pioneered the use of anti-tumor immune T and B lymphocytes as cellular therapies for treating cancer, achieving significant clinical efficacy in patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. In recent years, he developed the world's first dendritic cell (DC) vaccine targeting ALDHhigh cancer stem cells (CSCs). When combined with anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy, this approach has demonstrated substantial efficacy in treating squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, markedly inhibiting tumor growth, reducing metastasis, and prolonging patient survival.

Since 2001, Professor Li has served as Principal Investigator (PI) or key investigator on numerous research projects. He has independently led or co-led multiple research initiatives funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. industry partners, and private foundations, securing over $4 million USD in total grant support.

On April 2, 2012, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) issued a press release highlighting Professor Li's groundbreaking research: "Cancer stem cell vaccine in development shows antitumor effect". This announcement globally recognized the work as a major breakthrough in immunotherapy, demonstrating the potential of vaccines derived from CSC antigens to enhance the ability of antibodies and T cells to selectively target cancer stem cells.

On February 1, 2013, another of Professor Li's research achievements, "Anticancer vaccine suppresses tumors," was named among the "Top 100 Science Stories of 2012" by Discover Magazine (New York), ranking #54 – immediately following the story of Chinese astronaut Liu Yang.

In China, immunotherapy represents a novel approach to cancer treatment, offering new avenues for patients and holding immense potential for broader application. Research on and the translation of anti-CSC vaccines into clinical practice have the potential to generate significant economic and societal benefits within China, offering substantial hope for cancer patients. The CSC-targeting vaccine platform developed by Professor Li's laboratory represents a current international research focus within oncology and possesses considerable promise for future clinical impact.