Su, Lishan Director, Division of Virology, Pathogenesis and Cancer Institute of Human Virology Professor, Departments of Pharmacology, Microbiology & Immunology | University of Maryland School of Medicine

Academic Title:

Professor

Primary Appointment:

Pharmacology & Physiology

Secondary Appointment(s):

Microbiology and Immunology

Administrative Title:

Co-leader of the Tumor Immunology and Immuno-Engineering Research Program for the UMGCCC

Additional Title:

Director, Division of Virology, Pathogenesis and Cancer, Institute of Human Virology; Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Physiology

Email:

lsu@ihv.umaryland.edu

Location:

725 West Lombard St.

Phone (Primary):

410-706-7878

Fax:

410-706-1952

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Education and Training

Ph.D., Virology

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Postdoctoral Fellow, Immunology and Stem Cell Biology

Departments of Pathology and Developmental Biology, HHMI, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA

Biosketch

Dr. Lishan Su received his Ph.D. degree in Virology from Harvard University (Herpes Simplex Virus-1) and did his post-doctoral training in Immunology and Stem Cell Biology at Stanford University (T cells and blood stem cells). He then worked as a senior scientist in a biotech company SyStemix/Sandoz (Novartis), focusing on blood stem cell-based HIV-1 gene therapy in humanized mice and in patients. From 1996 to 2020, Dr. Su was a faculty member in the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. After joining The Institute of Human Virology at UMSOM in Oct. 2020, Dr. Lishan Su continues his research program to use HIV and HBV viruses as probes to dissect human immunity and inflammatory diseases, and to develop antibody and cell-based drugs targeting novel immune cells and signaling pathways. The laboratory thus studies HIV-1 and HBV (Virology) and how their interactions with human innate immune cells cause inflammatory diseases (Immunology) using various cell and organoid cultures, as well as humanized mouse models. In addition, they are developing novel drugs including antibodies, CAR-T and therapeutic vaccines (Immunotherapy) to treat human inflammatory diseases including virus infection and cancer.

Dr. Su was awarded the Charles Gordon Smith Professorship for HIV Research in 2022.

Research/Clinical Keywords

Immunology, virology, immunotherapeutic antibody and CAR-T cells

Highlighted Publications

Cheng L, Li G, Luo F, Bi W, Lu M, Liu N, Zhao Q, Han R, Wang H, Yang H, Ma J, Hu W, Yu H, Hou W, Xiong Y, Goonetilleke N, Jones RB, Su L. Persistent IFN-I signaling inhibits mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells during HIV-1 infection under cART. Cell Mol Immunol. 2026 Apr 2. doi: 10.1038/s41423-026-01398-8. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41927787

Lou Y, He X, Li G, Sikhondze M, Ma J, Du H, Ouyang X, Dotti G, Sajadi M, Su L. CD4-Based Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T Cells With Resistance to HIV-1 Infection and Enhanced Anti-HIV Efficacy: Covalent Interaction Between CD4-CAR and HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein. J Med Virol. 2026 Mar;98(3):e70853. doi: 10.1002/jmv.70853. PMID: 41736532; PMCID: PMC12933161
Li G, Lou Y, Ma J, Cheng L, Yu H, Tsahouridis O, He X, Funaki M, Ahodantin J, Bi W, Chen J, Fan X, Sharaf S, Goonetilleke N, Jones RB, Kottilil S, Mathur P, Su L. Depletion of plasmacytoid dendritic cells rescues HIV-reactive stem-like CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells during chronic HIV-1 infection. Sci Transl Med. 2025 Nov 5;17(823):eadr3930. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adr3930. Epub 2025 Nov 5. PMID: 41191775
Li G, Ma J, Yu H, Tsahouridis O, Lou Y, He X, Funaki M, Zheng P, Liu Y, Su L. CD24-Fc resolves inflammation and enhances anti-HIV CD8 T cells with polyfunctionality during HIV-1 infection under cART. PLoS Pathog. 2025 Aug 8;21(8):e1012826. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012826. PMID: 40779581; PMCID: PMC12349878
Sun, S., C. Huang, M. Lu, H. Xu, Y. Yuan, W. Zhao, X. Hu, B. Wang, W. Zhang, X. Gao, J. Zheng, L. Su and Q. Zhang (2023). "Herpes Virus Entry Mediator Costimulation Signaling Enhances CAR T-cell Efficacy Against Solid Tumors Through Metabolic Reprogramming." Cancer Immunol Res 11(4): 515-529
Liu, M., X. Wang, X. Du, W. Wu, Y. Zhang, P. Zhang, C. Ai, M. Devenport, J. Su, M. M. Muthana, L. Su, Y. Liu and P. Zheng (2023). "Soluble CTLA-4 mutants ameliorate immune-related adverse events but preserve efficacy of CTLA-4- and PD-1-targeted immunotherapy." Sci Transl Med 15(685): eabm5663
Hogan, G., B. Y. Winer, J. Ahodantin, J. Sellau, T. Huang, F. Douam, M. Funaki, L. Chiriboga, L. Su and A. Ploss (2023). "Persistent hepatitis B virus and HIV coinfections in dually humanized mice engrafted with human liver and immune system." J Med Virol 95(7): e28930
Ahodantin, J., K. Nio, M. Funaki, X. Zhai, E. Wilson, S. Kottilil, L. Cheng, G. Li and L. Su (2022). "Type I interferons and TGF-beta cooperate to induce liver fibrosis during HIV-1 infection under antiretroviral therapy." JCI Insight 7(13).
Hioe, C. E., G. Li, X. Liu, O. Tsahouridis, X. He, M. Funaki, J. Klingler, A. F. Tang, R. Feyznezhad, D. W. Heindel, X. H. Wang, D. A. Spencer, G. Hu, N. Satija, J. Prevost, A. Finzi, A. J. Hessell, S. Wang, S. Lu, B. K. Chen, S. Zolla-Pazner, C. Upadhyay, R. Alvarez and L. Su (2022). "Non-neutralizing antibodies targeting the immunogenic regions of HIV-1 envelope reduce mucosal infection and virus burden in humanized mice." PLoS Pathog 18(1): e1010183
Guo, H., Q. Wang, K. Ghneim, L. Wang, E. Rampanelli, E. Holley-Guthrie, L. Cheng, C. Garrido, D. M. Margolis, L. A. Eller, M. L. Robb, R. P. Sekaly, X. Chen, L. Su and J. P. Ting (2021). "Multi-omics analyses reveal that HIV-1 alters CD4(+) T cell immunometabolism to fuel virus replication." Nat Immunol 22(4): 423-433
Cheng, L., H. Yu, J. A. Wrobel, G. Li, P. Liu, Z. Hu, X. N. Xu and L. Su (2020). "Identification of pathogenic TRAIL-expressing innate immune cells during HIV-1 infection in humanized mice by scRNA-Seq." JCI Insight 5(11)

Additional Publication Citations

Barrat, F. J. and Su(2019). "A pathogenic role of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in autoimmunity and chronic viral infection." J Exp Med 216(9): 1974-1985.
Cheng, L., Q. Wang, G. Li, R. Banga, J. Ma, H. Yu, F. Yasui, Z. Zhang, G. Pantaleo, M. Perreau, S. Zurawski, G. Zurawski, Y. Levy and L. Su (2018). "TLR3 agonist and CD40-targeting vaccination induces immune responses and reduces HIV-1 reservoirs." J Clin Invest 128(10): 4387-4396.
Lv, L., Q. Wang, Y. Xu, L. C. Tsao, T. Nakagawa, H. Guo, Su^# and Y. Xiong (2018). "Vpr Targets TET2 for Degradation by CRL4(VprBP) E3 Ligase to Sustain IL-6 Expression and Enhance HIV-1 Replication." Mol Cell 70(5): 961-970 e965.
Cheng L, Ma J, Li J, Li D, Li G, Li F, Zhang Q, Yu H, Yasui F, Ye C, Tsao LC, Hu Z, Su L, Zhang L. (2017). Blocking type I interferon signaling enhances T cell recovery and reduces HIV-1 reservoirs. J Clin Invest. 127(1):269-279.
Murphy, C. M., Y. Xu, F. Li, K. Nio, N. Reszka-Blanco, X. Li, Y. Wu, Y. Yu, Y. Xiong and L. Su (2016). "Hepatitis B Virus X Protein Promotes Degradation of SMC5/6 to Enhance HBV Replication." Cell Rep 16(11): 2846-2854.
Washburn, M. L., M. T. Bility, L. Zhang, G. I. Kovalev, A. Buntzman, J. A. Frelinger, W. Barry, A. Ploss, C. M. Rice and Su (2011). "A humanized mouse model to study hepatitis C virus infection, immune response, and liver disease." Gastroenterology 140(4): 1334-1344.
Coffield, V. M., Q. Jiang and Su (2003). "A genetic approach to inactivating chemokine receptors using a modified viral protein." Nat Biotechnol 21(11): 1321-1327.

Research Interests

My research laboratory has focused on several areas of human immunology and virology, particularly in studying human immuno-pathology of chronic virus infections. My group was one of the first to use humanized mouse models to study HIV-1 infection and pathogenesis, and to develop human blood stem cell-based gene therapy for AIDS. My lab has identified novel virological and immunological mechanisms of HIV-1 and HBV pathogenesis. In recent years, my group has discovered and focused on the pDC-interferon-macrophage axis in the immuno-pathogenesis and therapy of chronic HIV & HBV infections. The group has also started investigation of the pDC-IFN-M2 axis in tumor microenvironments (TME) and in cancer immune therapy. After joining The Institute of Human Virology at UMSOM in Oct. 2020, we continue the research programs to use HIV and HBV viruses as probes to dissect human immunity and inflammatory diseases, and to develop antibody and cell-based drugs targeting novel immune cells and signaling pathways. The laboratory thus studies HIV-1 and HBV (Virology) and how their interactions with human innate immune cells cause inflammatory diseases (Immunology) using various cell and organoid cultures, as well as humanized mouse models. In addition, we are developing novel drugs including antibodies, CAR-T and therapeutic vaccines (Immunotherapy) to treat human inflammatory diseases including virus infection and cancer.

Awards and Affiliations

2012- Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

1998-2002 Jefferson Pilot Award

1997-1999 March of Dimes Basil O’Connor Scholar Award

1989-1992 Fellow of the Irvington Institute for Medical Research

1982-1985 Harvard Pre-Doctoral Fellowship (China-US Biochem. Exam/Admi. Program)

Grants and Contracts

R01DK119937 (Su: PI)

National Institutes of Health, Immune Mechanisms of Elevated Liver Disease During HIV Infection

R01 AI127346 (Su: contact PI)

NIH: HIV-1 Vpr Disrupts the IFN-TET-ISG Pathway to Promote HIV-1 Infection and Persistence

R01AI134631 (Su: contact PI/Bosinger/Amara)

National Inst. of Health: Modulating pDC/IFN to reverse inflammation, improve immune recovery and control HIV-1 reservoirs

R01AI138797 (Su: contact PI/Ploss)

National Inst. of Health: Modeling immune impairments and pathogenesis in novel humanized mice for HBV-HIV co-infection

P01-CA019014 (Damania)

NIH/NCI: Herpesviral, Oncogenesis, Latency and Reactivation: Project 3 - Modulation of Host Cell Biology by KSHV

Role: Co-Investigator/collaborator subcntract from UNC-Chapel Hil

R01AI136948 (Chang)

NIH/NIAID: Role of IFNe in immune modulation and HIV infection

Role: PI of UNC subcontract (Rutgers Subcontract, years 3-5)

R01AI1393290 (Hioe)

National Inst.of Health: Harnessing Abs Specific for Immunogenic and Conserved Env Epitopes to Protect Against HIV

Role: PI of UNC subcontract (ISMMS Subcontract)

R01AI139511 (Feng)

National Inst.of Health: Mechanism for spread of a quasi-enveloped hepatotropic virus

Role: PI UNC subcontract (RINCH/OSU Subcontract)

R01CA243543-01 (Dotti)

National Inst. of Health: Cellular Immunotherapy of Ovarian Cancer