Jinming Gao, Ph.D.
Jinming Gao and his group study the science of nanotechnology and cancer. Through molecular cooperativity, his group innovate nanotechnology platforms to target cancer hallmarks with the goal to transform patient care. In cancer diagnosis, the Gao Group designed proton transistor nanoparticles that digitize tumor acidotic signals from dysregulated cancer cell metabolism (Warburg effect). Pegsitacianine, one such nanosensor, received Breakthrough Therapy Designation in cytoreductive surgery of peritoneal metastasis. In cancer therapy, Gao Group discovered synthetic polymers for non-canonical activation of stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway with improved tumor and cell selectivity and antitumor immunity over small molecule agonists. A nanoparticle STING agonist has entered first-in-human trials in 2023. Gao's discoveries elucidate new tumor acidotic metabolism and the important role of type I dendritic cells in STING-targeted immunotherapy.
Gao received a BSc in chemistry from Peking University, a PhD in physical organic chemistry from Harvard University, and postdoctoral training in biomedical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has published over 150 scientific articles with over 37,000 citations and holds 16 US and 72 foreign patents. He co-founded OncoNano Medicine to develop therapies for cancer. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Cancer Institute.