Benjamin Y. Lu, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology/Hematology)DownloadHi-Res Photo
Cards
Training
Postdoctoral Fellow
Yale School of Medicine (2023)
Yale School of Medicine (2023)
Fellowship
Yale Cancer Center (2022)
Yale Cancer Center (2022)
Chief Fellow
Yale Cancer Center (2022)
Yale Cancer Center (2022)
Education
PhD
Yale University, Investigative Medicine (2024)
Yale University, Investigative Medicine (2024)
MD
New York University (2015)
New York University (2015)
MD
New York University School of Medicine (2015)
New York University School of Medicine (2015)
About
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Titles
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology/Hematology)
Biography
Benjamin Y. Lu, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology and Hematology) and Neurology at the Yale School of Medicine and a Medical Oncologist at Smilow Cancer Hospital. He received his MD from the New York University School of Medicine with Honors in Research. Dr. Lu completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital and his fellowship in Medical Oncology at Yale Cancer Center, where he also served as the inaugural Chief Fellow. His clinical and research interests involve understanding and improving immune therapies for patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors.
Dr. Lu also directs the Yale Tumor Neuroimmunology Lab, which is dedicated to understanding how the immune system interacts with cancers in the brain, with the ultimate goal of developing clinically relevant biomarkers and therapeutic targets for patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors. Dr. Lu’s research has been supported by the ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation, American Brain Tumor Association, Yale SPORE in Lung Cancer, Yale SPORE in Skin Cancer, Yale Cancer Center Advanced Training Program for Physician Scientists (T32), and the Yale Cancer Center Calabresi Immuno-Oncology Training Program (K12).
Last Updated on July 25, 2025.
Departments & Organizations
- All Institutions
- Cancer Immunology
- Center for Thoracic Cancers
- Janeway Society
- Medical Oncology
- Tumor Neuroimmunology Lab
- Yale Medicine
- Yale New Haven Health System
Education & Training
- PhD
- Yale University, Investigative Medicine (2024)
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Yale School of Medicine (2023)
- Fellowship
- Yale Cancer Center (2022)
- Chief Fellow
- Yale Cancer Center (2022)
- Residency
- Yale New Haven Hospital (2019)
- Residency
- Yale University School of Medicine (2019)
- Internship
- Massachusetts General Hospital (2016)
- MD
- New York University (2015)
- MD
- New York University School of Medicine (2015)
Research
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Overview
Medical Research Interests
Brain Neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms
ORCID
0000-0001-8764-8384- View Lab Website
Tumor Neuroimmunology Lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Benjamin Y. Lu's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Benjamin Y. Lu's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Benjamin Y. Lu is interested in exploring.
Harriet Kluger, MD
Sarah Goldberg, MD, MPH
David A. Hafler, MD, FANA, MSc
Kurt Schalper, MD, PhD
Veronica Chiang, MD, FAANS
Lucia Jilaveanu, MD, PhD
32Publications
1,138Citations
Brain Neoplasms
Lung Neoplasms
Publications
2025
The subfornical organ is a nucleus for gut-derived T cells that regulate behaviour
Yoshida T, Nguyen M, Zhang L, Lu B, Zhu B, Murray K, Mineur Y, Zhang C, Xu D, Lin E, Luchsinger J, Bhatta S, Waizman D, Coden M, Ma Y, Israni-Winger K, Russo A, Wang H, Song W, Al Souz J, Zhao H, Craft J, Picciotto M, Grutzendler J, Distasio M, Palm N, Hafler D, Wang A. The subfornical organ is a nucleus for gut-derived T cells that regulate behaviour. Nature 2025, 1-10. PMID: 40437096, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09050-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsMeningeal T cellsCentral nervous systemT cellsSubfornical organCD4 T cellsInnate immune compartmentGut-brain axisSteady-state brainGut microbiotaSpecialized immune cellsCentral nervous system homeostasisAdaptive immune systemBiological functionsImmune compartmentGut-derived T cellsImmune cellsWhite adiposeImmune systemNervous systemAdipose tissueComposition of adipose tissueGastrointestinal tissuesWell-characterizedHomeostasisBrain
2024
Circulating tumor-reactive KIR+CD8+ T cells suppress anti-tumor immunity in patients with melanoma
Lu B, Lucca L, Lewis W, Wang J, Nogueira C, Heer S, Rayon-Estrada V, Axisa P, Reeves S, Buitrago-Pocasangre N, Pham G, Kojima M, Wei W, Aizenbud L, Bacchiocchi A, Zhang L, Walewski J, Chiang V, Olino K, Clune J, Halaban R, Kluger Y, Coyle A, Kisielow J, Obermair F, Kluger H, Hafler D. Circulating tumor-reactive KIR+CD8+ T cells suppress anti-tumor immunity in patients with melanoma. Nature Immunology 2024, 26: 82-91. PMID: 39609626, DOI: 10.1038/s41590-024-02023-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsCD8+ T cellsAnti-tumor immunityRegulatory T cellsT cellsSubpopulation of CD8+ T cellsCytotoxic CD8+ T cellsHuman CD8+ T cellsTumor antigen-specific CD8Impaired anti-tumor immunityTumor antigen-specificPoor overall survivalTumor rejectionKIR expressionOverall survivalTumor antigensImmune evasionCellular mediatorsHuman cancersCD8MelanomaTumorTranscriptional programsFunctional heterogeneityImmunityPatientsDecoy-resistant IL-18 reshapes the tumor microenvironment and enhances rejection by anti-CTLA-4 in renal cell carcinoma
Schoenfeld D, Djureinovic D, Su D, Zhang L, Lu B, Kamga L, Mann J, Huck J, Hurwitz M, Braun D, Jilaveanu L, Ring A, Kluger H. Decoy-resistant IL-18 reshapes the tumor microenvironment and enhances rejection by anti-CTLA-4 in renal cell carcinoma. JCI Insight 2024, 10: e184545. PMID: 39561007, PMCID: PMC11721305, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.184545.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsAnti-CTLA-4Renal cell carcinomaIL-18IL-18BPCell carcinomaTumor microenvironmentTumor typesPatients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitorsRegulatory T cell levelsAnti-PD-1 treatmentCD8+ T cellsAnti-PD-1Immune checkpoint inhibitorsCell renal cell carcinomaNon-responder patientsMyeloid cell populationsT cell levelsCytokine interleukin-18Anti-cancer efficacySecreted binding proteinCheckpoint inhibitorsResponding patientsPreclinical modelsT cellsMurine modelHLA class-I antigen presentation machinery (APM) alterations mediate immune evasion in lung cancer brain metastases.
Vilariño N, Lopez De Rodas M, Ranjan K, Costantini A, Villalba M, Lu B, Kravitz C, Nadal E, Goldberg S, Nguyen D, Schalper K. HLA class-I antigen presentation machinery (APM) alterations mediate immune evasion in lung cancer brain metastases. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2024, 42: e14014-e14014. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2024.42.16_suppl.e14014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLung cancer brain metastasisPrimary lung tumorsTumor-infiltrating lymphocytesImmune checkpoint inhibitorsCancer brain metastasesAntigen presentation machineryB2M expressionIFN-gBrain metastasesB2MImmune evasionAssociated with shorter overall survivalMultiplexed quantitative immunofluorescenceM expressionExpression of B2MB2M levelsExpression of pSTAT1Shorter overall survivalUnfavorable clinical featuresNo significant associationAssociated with unfavorable clinical featuresCheckpoint inhibitorsImmunotherapy resistanceProperties of tumorsPresentation machineryProviding 0.1 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Support to Fellowship Core Faculty Improves Faculty Involvement in Fellowship Education and Recruitment
Butt A, Christian J, Kress A, Lu B, Hurwitz M, Goldberg S, Podoltsev N, Gilkes L, Lee A. Providing 0.1 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Support to Fellowship Core Faculty Improves Faculty Involvement in Fellowship Education and Recruitment. Journal Of Cancer Education 2024, 39: 325-334. PMID: 38430454, DOI: 10.1007/s13187-024-02414-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsFull-time equivalent supportFull-time equivalentAmerican Council for Graduate Medical EducationCore facultyFellowship programsFellowship educationGraduate Medical EducationImprove job satisfactionCF programPotential unintended consequencesMedical educationSalary supportSurvey respondentsIncreased participationMedical oncologyUnintended consequencesSubspecialty fellowshipsIncreased senseSense of commitmentJob satisfactionFellowshipEducationFaculty involvement
2023
Beyond the Lab and Into the Hospital: An Outlook on the Clinical Utility of Spatial Omics Technologies
Pucciarelli D, Lu B, Zlobec I, DiStasio M. Beyond the Lab and Into the Hospital: An Outlook on the Clinical Utility of Spatial Omics Technologies. GEN Biotechnology 2023, 2: 360-371. DOI: 10.1089/genbio.2023.0030.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsAltmetricChemoimmunotherapy for Untreated Lung Cancer Brain Metastases: Systemic Before Local Therapy?
Lu B, Goldberg S. Chemoimmunotherapy for Untreated Lung Cancer Brain Metastases: Systemic Before Local Therapy? Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2023, 41: 4462-4464. PMID: 37603819, DOI: 10.1200/jco.23.01323.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersCitationsAltmetricBSBM-18 SINGLE-CELL PROFILING TUMOR-INFILTRATING IMMUNE CELLS REVEALS CXCL13+ FOLLICULAR HELPER-LIKE CD4+ T CELLS IN HUMAN BRAIN TUMORS
Lu B, Lucca L, DiStasio M, Liu Y, Pham G, Buitrago-Pocasangre N, Arnal-Estape A, Moliterno J, Chiang V, Omuro A, Hafler D. BSBM-18 SINGLE-CELL PROFILING TUMOR-INFILTRATING IMMUNE CELLS REVEALS CXCL13+ FOLLICULAR HELPER-LIKE CD4+ T CELLS IN HUMAN BRAIN TUMORS. Neuro-Oncology Advances 2023, 5: iii4-iii4. PMCID: PMC10402449, DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdad070.014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBSBM-16 HLA CLASS-I ANTIGEN PRESENTATION MACHINERY AND IFN-γ PATHWAY ALTERATIONS IN LUNG CANCER BRAIN METASTASES
Vilarino N, de Rodas M, Lu B, Goldberg S, Schalper K. BSBM-16 HLA CLASS-I ANTIGEN PRESENTATION MACHINERY AND IFN-γ PATHWAY ALTERATIONS IN LUNG CANCER BRAIN METASTASES. Neuro-Oncology Advances 2023, 5: iii4-iii4. PMCID: PMC10402438, DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdad070.012.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLung cancer brain metastasesPrimary lung tumorsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsCancer brain metastasesBrain metastasesPresentation machineryClinicopathologic variablesHLA classTumor cell PD-L1 expressionBackground Immune checkpoint inhibitorsLocal adaptive immune responseHLA Class I AntigenPD-L1 expressionDuration of responseB2MAdaptive immune responsesDistinct immunomodulatory propertiesImmune evasion mechanismsClass I AntigenIFN-γ signalingIRF-1Interferon regulatory factor 1Checkpoint inhibitorsMost patientsWorse survival
2022
TCR-sequencing in cancer and autoimmunity: barcodes and beyond
Pauken KE, Lagattuta KA, Lu BY, Lucca LE, Daud AI, Hafler DA, Kluger HM, Raychaudhuri S, Sharpe AH. TCR-sequencing in cancer and autoimmunity: barcodes and beyond. Trends In Immunology 2022, 43: 180-194. PMID: 35090787, PMCID: PMC8882139, DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2022.01.002.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsT cell receptorT cellsMolecular barcodesProgrammed Death-1 BlockadeTCR sequencesDeath-1 blockadeUnique TCR sequencesNaïve T cellsT cell functionCell divisionMolecular phenotypesBarcodesImmune responseAntigen specificitySingle cellsCell receptorCell functionRecent technological advancesCancerTCR dataCells
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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Activities
activity Janeway Society
2024 - PresentProfessional OrganizationsMember
Honors
honor Iva Dostanic, MD, PhD Physician-Scientist Trainee Award
06/26/2025Yale School of Medicine AwardYale Universityhonor Career Development Award
05/22/2025International AwardConquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)honor Emerging-Generation Award
01/16/2025International AwardAmerican Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI)DetailsUnited Stateshonor K12 Paul Calabresi Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology
07/01/2023National AwardNational Cancer Institutehonor T32 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award
08/01/2021National AwardNational Cancer InstituteDetailsUnited States
Clinical Care
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Overview
Benjamin Y. Lu, MD, PhD, is a medical oncologist specializing in thoracic oncology, focusing on the treatment of lung and skin cancers, as well as primary and metastatic brain tumors. Dr. Lu is dedicated to advancing immune therapies, which harness the body's own immune system to combat cancer, particularly in brain tumors. He employs various innovative approaches to improve patient outcomes.
As an instructor in medicine at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Lu conducts research on immune-based treatments for tumors that originate in the brain or spread there. He studies how certain white blood cells, called T cells, respond to cancer in order to develop new therapeutic strategies.
Dr. Lu received his medical training from New York University School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital. He further specialized with a fellowship in medical oncology at Yale Cancer Center. His contributions to the field have been recognized by prestigious awards such as the Young Investigator Award from the Conquer Cancer Foundation and the Emerging Generation Award from the American Society of Clinical Investigation.
Clinical Specialties
Thoracic Oncology; Neuro-Oncology
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