Li Peng, Distinguished Associate Professor at the Institute of Cell and Gene Technology, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology. His research focuses on the mechanisms and functions by which nutrient and metabolic molecules regulate T cell anti-tumor immune responses, with particular emphasis on the clinical translation of γδ T cell anti-tumor immunity. He leads a Special Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, a Youth Science Foundation Project (Category C) of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, a Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund (Guangdong-Guangzhou Joint Youth Project), and a General Project of the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, while participating in 5 additional projects from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and provincial/ministerial levels. In recent years, he has published 12 papers as first author, corresponding author, or co-author in international journals such asJITC,Gut Microbes,Theranostics,Immunology,JCI, andScience Bulletin, and serves as a reviewer for journals includingJITC,Advanced Science,Clinical and Translational Medicine, andCell Communication and Signaling.

2015.09-2021.06, PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jinan University

2011.09-2015.06, Bachelor’s Degree in Bioengineering, Hubei Enshi College

2021.10-2025.09, Postdoctoral Fellow, Jinan University

2025.10–present, Distinguished Associate Professor, Institute of Cell and Gene Technology, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology

Nutrition and Tumor Immunotherapy.

Projects Undertaken

1. National Natural Science Foundation of China, Special Project, 2026-01-01 to 2028-12-31, CNY 580,000, Ongoing, Principal Investigator.

2. National Natural Science Foundation of China, Youth Science Foundation Project (Category C), 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31, CNY 300,000, Ongoing, Principal Investigator.

3. Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund Provincial-Municipal Joint Fund, Youth Fund Project, 2022-10-01 to 2025-09-30, CNY 100,000, Completed, Principal Investigator.

4. China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, General Project, 2022-07-01 to 2023-12-31, CNY 80,000, Completed, Principal Investigator.

5. Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund Provincial-Municipal Joint Fund (Guangdong-Foshan), Regional Cultivation Project, 2025-01-01 to 2027-12-31, CNY 300,000, Ongoing, Co-Applicant.

Representative Publications

1.Peng Li#, Xinhai Zhu#, Guangchao Cao#, Ruan Wu, Ke Li, Wenhui Yuan, Biyun Chen, Guodong Sun, Xichun Xia, Hua Zhang, Xiao Wang, Zhinan Yin*, Ligong Lu*, Yunfei Gao*. 1α,25(OH)₂D₃reverses exhaustion and enhances antitumor immunity of human cytotoxic T cells.Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 2022, 10(3): e003477.

2.Peng Li#^,*, Ke Li#, Wenhui Yuan#, Yuqi Xu, Ping Li, Ruan Wu, Jingru Han, Zhinan Yin*, Ligong Lu*, Yunfei Gao*. 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ameliorates insulin resistance by alleviatingγδT cell inflammation via enhancing fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase 1 expression.Theranostics. 2023, 13(15): 5290-5304.

3. Xinhai Zhu#, Ke Li#, Guichao Liu#, Ruan Wu, Yan Zhang, Siying Wang, Meng Xu*, Ligong Lu*,Peng Li*. Microbial metabolite butyrate promotes anti-PD-1 antitumor efficacy by modulating T cell receptor signaling of cytotoxic CD8 T cell.Gut Microbes. 2023, 15(2): 2249143. (ESI Highly Cited).

4.Yuqi Xu#, Wenhui Yuan#, Ke Li*,Peng Li*.Nutritional intervention alleviates T cell exhaustion and empowers anti-tumor immunity.Frontiers in Immunology. 2025,16:1689317.

5. Ke Li, Eying Lu, Qian Wang, Ruirong Xu, Wenhui Yuan, Ruan Wu, Ligong Lu*,Peng Li*. Serum vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of γδ T cell exhaustion in HBV-infected patients.Immunology. 2024, 171(1): 31-44.

6. Dongdong Zhang#, Guichao Liu#, Jinhui Ye#, Ke Li, Guojun Zhang, Qiang Quan*, Xinhai Zhu*,Peng Li*.Low-exhaustion peripheral circulatingγδT cells serve as a biomarker for predicting the clinical benefit rate of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients to chemotherapy or targeted therapy: a single-center retrospective study.BMC Cancer. 2025; 25 (178).

7. Guichao Liu#, Qiang Quan#, Lanhong Pan#, Haibo Duan#, Guojun Zhang, Ke Li, Xinhai Zhu*, Dongdong Zhang*,Peng Li*,Jianfu Zhao*. Retinoic acid enhances gammadelta T cell cytotoxicity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by reversing immune exhaustion.Cell Communication and Signaling. 2025, 23(1):156.

8. Xichun Xia#, Guangchao Cao#, Guodong Sun#, Leqing Zhu, Yixia Tian, Yueqi Song, Chengbin Guo, Xiao Wang, Jingxiang Zhong, Wei Zhou,Peng Li, Hua Zhang, Jianlei Hao, Zhizhong Li, Liehua Deng*, Zhinan Yin*, Yunfei Gao*. GLS1-mediated glutaminolysis unbridled by MALT1 protease promotes psoriasis pathogenesis.Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2020, 130(10): 5180-5196.

9. Hua Zhang#, Guodong Sun#, Xiaowei Li, Zhen Fu, Chengbin Guo, Guangchao Cao, Baocheng Wang Qian Wang, Shuxian Yang, Dehai Li, Xichun Xia,Peng Li, Jing Zhu, Wei Zhou, Liangyan Zheng, Jingxia Li, Lei Zhang, Jianlei Hao, Libing Zhou, Frederic Bornancin, Zhizhong Li*, Zhinan Yin*, Yunfei Gao*. Inhibition of MALT1 paracaspase activity improves lesion recovery following spinal cord injury.Science Bulletin. 2019, 64(16): 1179-1194.

Authorized National Invention Patents

1. Gao Yunfei,Li Peng, Yin Zhinan, Wang Xiao, Wu Ruan, Application of Vitamin D Receptor and Its Ligands in Enhancing Anti-Tumor Capacity of Immune Cells, 2021-6-11, China, ZL201910861612.2. (Invention Patent).

2. Gao Yunfei, Yin Zhinan,Li Peng, Zheng Liangyan, Application of Vitamin D3 or Its Active Form 1α,25(OH)₂D₃in Inhibiting PD-1 Expression, 2021-7-27, China, ZL201711248940.2. (Invention Patent).