Chaofan Li, PhD, a Research Assistant Professor in the lab of Jie Sun, PhD, recently received a $40,000 Unrestricted Grant award from the American Thoracic Society to study Long COVID. The project, titled “Molecular regulation of respiratory immune response driving lung sequelae post COID-19,” aims to understand mechanisms underlying abnormal T cell responses in the lung following Long COVID development. Long COVID-related respiratory issues present a pressing public health concern. Li’s previous research in the Sun lab has highlighted the critical role of dysregulated T cell responses in the development of Long COVID-related respiratory diseases, and further understanding their regulation mechanisms in this process will facilitate the development of new Long COVID therapeutic treatments.
Li’s work focuses on T cell immunity in respiratory viral infections, an area he has been dedicated to since his Ph.D. program. Over the past decade, he has conducted extensive research on immune mechanisms during respiratory viral infections. His work includes developing a novel Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine, which has successfully completed a Phase II clinical trial. Additionally, he has identified a crucial transcriptional network responsible for sustaining T cell residency in the lungs post-acute viral infection. He also uncovered key pathogenic cell types and factors contributing to lung sequelae following acute COVID-19. This grant will provide essential support for Li’s research into viral infection-induced respiratory diseases. By facilitating further investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying respiratory sequelae, the funding will enhance promote the development of novel therapeutic and interventional strategies against respiratory diseases.