Yi-Ling Chen

My group studies lipid-reactive T cells and CD1-mediated antigen presentation in the context of infection-induced autoimmunity. Aberrant lipid metabolism and altered lipid profiles are hallmarks of acute and recurrent infections, yet their role in modulating pathogenic immune responses has been largely underexplored. We focus on how lipid antigens derived from commensal and pathogenic microbes modulate tissue inflammation, immune tolerance, and disease susceptibility at the cellular and molecular levels.

I hold an ERC Starting Grant (CReativeLipid) investigating how Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection-induced alterations in lipid metabolic pathways promote CD1c-restricted T cell responses and contribute to post-streptococcal disease. Laryngeal infection with GAS, commonly referred to as strep throat, is frequently associated with the onset or exacerbation of chronic autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis, rheumatic fever, glomerulonephritis, and central nervous system autoimmune disorders.

While immunological mechanisms such as molecular mimicry have been proposed, the molecular pathways linking bacterial infection to autoimmune pathology remain incompletely understood. Using high-dimensional proteotranscriptomics, T cell clonality profiling, and human immune organoid systems, my group aims to define fundamental mechanisms of lipid antigen recognition, discover new therapeutic targets and translate into new treatment.