Dr. Tak Wah Mak is a world-renowned molecular immunologist and cancer researcher whose pioneering work has transformed our understanding of immune system function and cancer biology. He currently serves as Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Professor in the Departments of Medical Biophysics and Immunology at the University of Toronto, while also holding a professorship at the University of Hong Kong. After receiving his bachelor's and master's degrees in biochemistry and biophysics from the University of Wisconsin, he earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Alberta in 1971. Dr. Mak has held numerous leadership positions, including Founding Director of the Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research at Princess Margaret Hospital and former head of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology at the Ontario Cancer Institute.
Dr. Mak's most seminal contribution came in 1984 when he led the team that first cloned the human T-cell receptor beta chain gene, solving one of immunology's most challenging problems and laying the foundation for modern understanding of T cell biology. His groundbreaking research provided the essential framework for subsequent developments in immunotherapy, including CAR-T and TCR-T technologies that have revolutionized cancer treatment. In 1995, his laboratory made another paradigm-shifting discovery by revealing the function of the immune checkpoint protein CTLA-4 as a negative regulator of T cell activation, which directly paved the way for checkpoint inhibitor therapies now used in cancer treatment worldwide. With over 700 publications and more than 65,000 citations, Dr. Mak's work has fundamentally shaped the fields of immunology and cancer research, earning him recognition as one of the most influential scientists of his generation.
Beyond his research achievements, Dr. Mak has been instrumental in mentoring generations of scientists, with many of his trainees establishing distinguished careers in academia and industry. He co-founded Agios Pharmaceuticals, which developed IDHIFA, the first FDA-approved drug specifically targeting cancer metabolism for acute myeloid leukemia. Currently, his laboratory continues to push boundaries with recent discoveries showing how the brain communicates with the immune system through acetylcholine production by T and B cells, opening new avenues for treating cancer and autoimmune or neurodegenerative diseases. As a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of numerous prestigious international awards, Dr. Mak remains at the forefront of scientific innovation, with his work continuing to catalyze transformative advances in immunotherapy and cancer treatment worldwide.
