Kimberly Gilmour | Immunology Cellular Interactions | Women Researcher Award

Published on by Cell Biologist

Dr. Kimberly Gilmour | Immunology Cellular Interactions | Women Researcher Award

Great Ormond Street Hospital | United Kingdom

Kimberly Coughlan Gilmour is a leading expert in immunology, molecular diagnostics, and cell-based therapeutic development. Her early academic work contributed foundational insights into cytokine signaling, particularly the regulation of the Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 (IRF-1) gene and the signal transduction pathways activated by prolactin and interleukin-2. During her postdoctoral research, she investigated mechanisms governing thymocyte proliferation and differentiation using retroviral manipulation of murine thymic organ cultures, advancing understanding of T-cell development.

Gilmour has played a pivotal role in the evolution of clinical immunology diagnostics, leading the development of national services for the molecular diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency disorders. She has been instrumental in translating complex research methodologies—including gene expression analysis, retroviral and lentiviral transduction, and thymus tissue culture—into routine clinical tools that directly inform patient management. Her work supports post-treatment monitoring for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, gene therapy, and targeted antibody-based interventions.

As a leader in cell therapy, she has overseen the implementation of advanced cellular manufacturing processes and supervised the clinical authorization of personalized therapeutic products. Her career integrates immunogenetics, translational science, and cellular therapy innovation, significantly shaping clinical practice for paediatric patients with rare and complex immune disorders.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications:

  • Maimaris, J., Roa-Bautista, A., Sohail, M., et al. (2025). Griscelli Syndrome Type 2: Comprehensive analysis of 149 new and previously described patients with RAB27A deficiency. Journal of Clinical Immunology, 45(50).

  • Author(s) Unknown. (2025). Safety and diagnostic utility of brain biopsy and metagenomics in decision-making for patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEI) and unexplained neurological manifestations. Journal of Clinical Immunology, 45, 86.

  • Booth, C., Masiuk, K., Vazouras, K., Fernandes, A., Xu-Bayford, J., Campo Fernandez, B., Roy, S., Curio-Penny, B., Arnold, J., Terrazas, D., Reid, J., Gilmour, K. C., Adams, S., Mediavilla, E. A., Mhaldien, L., O’Toole, G., Ahmed, R., Garabedian, E., Malech, H., De Ravin, S. S., Moore, T. B., De Oliveira, S., Pellin, D., Lin, T.-Y., Dang, T. T., Cornetta, K., Hershfield, M. S., Hara, H., Thrasher, A. J., Gaspar, H. B., & Kohn, D. B. (2025). Long-term safety and efficacy of gene therapy for adenosine deaminase deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine, 393(15), 1486–1497.

  • Guardo, D., Mishra, A. K., Rashed, H., Gilmour, K. C., Adams, S., Pinner, D., Sauer, M., Vora, A., Veys, P., Pavasovic, V., Rao, K., & Qasim, W. (2025). Long-term outcomes of genome-edited “universal” CAR19 T cells for relapsed/refractory B-ALL at a single pediatric center. Blood Advances, 9(18), 4750–4754.

 

Yi Zhang | Tumor Immunology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Cell Biologist

Prof. Yi Zhang | Tumor Immunology | Best Researcher Award

The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University | China

Prof. Yi Zhang is a globally recognized leader in genetically engineered cell therapy and translational immuno-oncology research. Over the past 36 years, he has made pioneering contributions to overcoming major barriers in cell therapy and advancing its clinical applications worldwide. His extensive research has produced 290 SCI-indexed publications, including 11 ESI top 1% highly cited papers, accumulating more than 14,000 citations and an h-index of 66. Prof. Zhang’s groundbreaking innovations include identifying the novel CAR-T therapeutic target CD276 for solid tumors, developing gene-editing technologies to reduce PD-1–mediated immunosuppression, and creating novel cytokines and culture protocols that enhance immune cell stemness and anti-tumor function. He has also led the development of CAR-T cells that normalize tumor vasculature and improve infiltration, significantly enhancing therapeutic efficacy. With 46 invention patents (17 authorized) and over 80 million yuan in technology transfers, his work bridges basic science and clinical application through an integrated “industry-university-research” platform. As principal investigator, he has directed more than 52 clinical trials—29 targeting solid tumors, the highest number globally—resulting in improved outcomes and even clinical cures for advanced cancer patients. His leadership in establishing national standards and safety protocols has also shaped the regulation and global best practices in cell therapy.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications:

Gao, Y., Liu, S., Huang, Y., Wang, H., Zhao, Y., Cui, X., Peng, Y., Li, F., & Zhang, Y. (2024, December 3). CAR T cells engineered to secrete IFNκ induce tumor ferroptosis via an IFNAR/STAT1/ACSL4 axis. Cancer Immunology Research.

Huang, Y., Cao, R., Wang, S., Chen, X., Ping, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2025, December 31). In vivo CAR-T cell therapy: New breakthroughs for cell-based tumor immunotherapy. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics.

Li, J., Wang, D., Zhang, Z., Sun, K., Lei, Q., Zhao, X., Huang, J., Wang, L., & Zhang, Y. (2025, June 1). Serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels as a predictive biomarker for cytokine-induced killer cell immunotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer. The Journal of Immunology.

Lian, J., Yue, Y., Yu, W., & Zhang, Y. (2025, March 5). Correction: Immunosenescence: A key player in cancer development. Journal of Hematology & Oncology.

Ping, Y., Fan, Q., & Zhang, Y. (2025, February). Modulating lipid metabolism improves tumor immunotherapy. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer.

Hu, W., Li, F., Liang, Y., Liu, S., Wang, S., Shen, C., Zhao, Y., Wang, H., & Zhang, Y. (2025, January). Glut3 overexpression improves environmental glucose uptake and antitumor efficacy of CAR-T cells in solid tumors. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer.