Tak W. Mak
麦德华
PhD, FRS, OC
Director, Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research; University Professor, University of Toronto坎贝尔家族乳腺癌研究所所长；多伦多大学荣誉教授
👥Biography 个人简介
Tak Mak is the discoverer of the T-cell receptor (TCR) gene, one of the most transformative discoveries in immunology that enabled the understanding of adaptive immunity and laid the groundwork for T-cell based cancer immunotherapy. He also generated CTLA-4 knockout mice that revealed CTLA-4 as a critical immune checkpoint, directly enabling the development of ipilimumab.
🧪Research Fields 研究领域
🎓Key Contributions 主要贡献
T-Cell Receptor Gene Discovery
Cloned and characterized the first human T-cell receptor alpha and beta chain genes, revealing the molecular basis of antigen-specific T-cell recognition and founding the field of molecular T-cell immunology.
CTLA-4 Knockout Mouse and Immune Checkpoint Biology
Generated CTLA-4 knockout mice demonstrating fatal lymphoproliferation, establishing CTLA-4 as an essential negative regulator of T-cell activation and providing critical validation for CTLA-4 blockade in cancer immunotherapy.
TRAIL Apoptosis and Cancer Selectivity
Characterized TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) and its receptors, demonstrating tumor-selective apoptosis induction and developing the scientific rationale for TRAIL-based cancer therapeutics.
Representative Works 代表性著作
Cloning of the T-cell growth factor receptor gene
Nature (1984)
First molecular cloning of the T-cell receptor beta chain gene, revealing the genetic basis of antigen-specific T-cell recognition — one of the most important discoveries in modern immunology.
CTLA-4 can function as a negative regulator of T-cell activation
Immunity (1994)
Demonstrated using CTLA-4 knockout mice that CTLA-4 is an essential negative immune regulator, providing the foundational in vivo evidence for CTLA-4 checkpoint biology exploited by ipilimumab.
PTEN, a putative protein tyrosine phosphatase gene mutated in human brain, breast, and prostate cancer
Science (1997)
Identified PTEN as a tumor suppressor mutated across multiple cancers, establishing PI3K/AKT pathway as a central oncogenic signaling axis and major therapeutic target.
🏆Awards & Recognition 奖项与荣誉
📄Data Sources 数据来源
Last updated: 2026-01-15 | All information from publicly available academic sources
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