# Dmitriy M. Chudakov
**Dmitriy M. Chudakov** (Дмитрий Михайлович Чудаков; born 1978, Moscow) is a Russian immunologist and molecular biologist who works on adaptive immunity, high-throughput profiling of [T cell](https://www.edgepedia.org/t-cell) receptor and antibody repertoires, and genetically encoded fluorescent proteins.[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) • [2](https://www.ibch.ru/lgr/cv/cv_chu.htm) He heads the Department of Genomics of Adaptive Immunity at the Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the [Russian Academy of Sciences](https://www.edgepedia.org/russian-academy-of-sciences) (IBCh RAS), leads an Adaptive Immunity group at CEITEC in the Czech Republic, and directs the Institute of Translational Medicine at Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (RNIMU).[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) • [3](https://rsmu.ru/website-information/profil-sotrudnika?cHash=e6748c3eb9f9a4655d311439c559bea7&cv=7304&cvview=105) His laboratory's MiXCR software is a software platform for analysis of next-generation sequencing data for immune profiling, and his group's TRBV9+ T [cell depletion therapy](https://www.edgepedia.org/cell-depletion-therapy) achieved sustained remission in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis (inflammatory arthritis of the spine, causing pain and stiffness) by targeted removal of a disease-driving T cell clone.[4](https://github.com/milaboratory/mixcr) • [5](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02613-z)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Field | Adaptive immunity, immune repertoire sequencing, fluorescent protein engineering[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) |
| Training | B.S. 1998 and M.Sc. 2000, Moscow State University; Ph.D. 2003, and Doctor of Sciences 2011, IBCh RAS[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) • [2](https://www.ibch.ru/lgr/cv/cv_chu.htm) |
| Main positions | IBCh RAS since 2000; department head from 2017; CEITEC group head from 2013; RNIMU institute director[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) • [3](https://rsmu.ru/website-information/profil-sotrudnika?cHash=e6748c3eb9f9a4655d311439c559bea7&cv=7304&cvview=105) |
| Signature work | Targeted depletion of TRBV9+ T cells as immunotherapy in ankylosing spondylitis, *Nature Medicine*, 2023[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02613-z) |
| Software | MiXCR, *Nature Methods*, 2015[4](https://github.com/milaboratory/mixcr) |
| Company | Founder of MiLaboratory LLC (2016), a Skolkovo Innovation Center resident[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) |
| Honors | Presidential Prize in Science and Innovation for Young Scientists for 2012 (presented 2013); Professor of the RAS 2016; Corresponding Member of the RAS 2022[6](http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/17459) • [1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) |
## Education and career
Chudakov studied molecular biology at Lomonosov Moscow State University, taking a B.S. in 1998 and an M.Sc. in 2000.[2](https://www.ibch.ru/lgr/cv/cv_chu.htm) From 2000 he worked at IBCh RAS, first as a postgraduate student in the Laboratory of Genes for Regeneration, and defended his Ph.D. thesis, "Photo-conversion of Anthozoa chromoproteins," in 2003 under K.A. Lukyanov.[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) • [2](https://www.ibch.ru/lgr/cv/cv_chu.htm) According to his 2011 Doctor of Biological Sciences dissertation abstract, "Genetically encoded fluorescent instruments for the studies of living systems," from 2003 he was a research scientist in the Laboratory of Molecular Technologies headed by S.A. Lukyanov, and the dissertation was written there under Sergey A. Lukyanov.[2](https://www.ibch.ru/lgr/cv/cv_chu.htm) • [7](https://www.studmed.ru/chudakov-d-m-geneticheski-kodiruemye-fluorescentnye-instrumenty-dlya-issledovaniya-zhivyh-sistem_3b4f4ef785b.html)
His later appointments are dated on his institutional record: Head of the Department of Genomics of Adaptive Immunity at IBCh RAS from 2017; and Head of the Adaptive Immunity research group at CEITEC (Central European Institute of Technology, Brno) from 2013.[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) At RNIMU he became director of the Institute of Translational Medicine and head of the department of molecular technologies; his staff profile lists the directorship as acting.[3](https://rsmu.ru/website-information/profil-sotrudnika?cHash=e6748c3eb9f9a4655d311439c559bea7&cv=7304&cvview=105) • [8](https://rsmu.ru/index.php?id=3691) A funder record also lists a professorship at Skoltech, without dates.[9](https://megagrant.ru/labs/scientists/scientist_rus_531361/)
## Fluorescent protein tools
Chudakov's first research line engineered fluorescent proteins for labeling molecules in living cells. His group developed a palette of bright monomeric proteins spanning the visible spectrum, TagBFP, TagCFP, TagGFP, TagYFP, and TagRFP, together with the far-red mKate and mKate2; TagRFP was reported as the brightest monomeric red fluorescent protein and mKate2 the brightness leader among monomeric far-red proteins.[3](https://rsmu.ru/website-information/profil-sotrudnika?cHash=e6748c3eb9f9a4655d311439c559bea7&cv=7304&cvview=105) The same line produced the fast-maturing TurboGFP, TurboYFP, TurboRFP, and TurboFP602, and the far-red Katushka (TurboFP635), whose long-wavelength emission improves detection of cells inside living tissue.[3](https://rsmu.ru/website-information/profil-sotrudnika?cHash=e6748c3eb9f9a4655d311439c559bea7&cv=7304&cvview=105) He also worked out the mechanism of reversible photoactivation of fluorescence, based on cis-trans isomerization of the chromophore, and used it to build high-contrast photoactivatable proteins suitable for super-resolution microscopy; the dissertation additionally credits his participation in KillerRed, a genetically encoded photosensitizer.[3](https://rsmu.ru/website-information/profil-sotrudnika?cHash=e6748c3eb9f9a4655d311439c559bea7&cv=7304&cvview=105) • [7](https://www.studmed.ru/chudakov-d-m-geneticheski-kodiruemye-fluorescentnye-instrumenty-dlya-issledovaniya-zhivyh-sistem_3b4f4ef785b.html)
## Immune repertoire profiling: MiXCR
From 2009 Chudakov moved to high-throughput sequencing of T cell receptor and antibody repertoires, applying molecular barcoding to TCR repertoire analysis for the first time, a step that improved measurement accuracy by an order of magnitude.[9](https://megagrant.ru/labs/scientists/scientist_rus_531361/) The group's MiXCR software, published in *Nature Methods* in 2015, analyzes next-generation sequencing data for immune profiling: it handles bulk [repertoire sequencing](https://www.edgepedia.org/repertoire-sequencing) with or without unique molecular identifiers, single-cell data including 10x Genomics protocols, and RNA-seq or fragmented data containing TCR or BCR sequences.[4](https://github.com/milaboratory/mixcr) In 2024 a MiXCR-based study established a database of V and J gene alleles inferred from repertoire sequencing data, with population frequencies and free public access through VDJ.online.[10](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11694755/)
## TRBV9+ T cell depletion immunotherapy
The clinical line of this work asks whether a defined pathogenic T cell population can be removed to treat autoimmune disease. In a 2023 *Nature Medicine* case study, an HLA-B*27-positive patient with ankylosing spondylitis achieved remission within three months of depletion of TRBV9+ T cells and stopped anti-TNF therapy after five years of continuous use; complete remission persisted for four years on three doses of anti-TRBV9 antibody per year.[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02613-z) When some symptoms partially returned ten months after the first intervention, the pathogenic TCRβ CDR3 motif re-emerged among peripheral blood T cells, supporting its causative role in the disease.[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02613-z) The anti-TRBV9 therapy entered a phase II trial for ankylosing spondylitis (NCT05445076).[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02613-z) The RNIMU project describes the approach, sectoral suppression of T cell immunity by identifying and removing disease-causing cells, as having produced the first-in-class drug Tribuvia for ankylosing spondylitis with the industrial partner Biocad, and lists planned drugs for juvenile arthritis, uveitis and type 1 diabetes, a diagnostic system for adaptive immune status, and Treg-TCR-T therapy using autologous regulatory T lymphocytes.[8](https://rsmu.ru/index.php?id=3691) The *Nature Medicine* authors note the approach could extend to other HLA-B*27-associated spondyloarthropathies, including psoriatic arthritis, acute anterior uveitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and [Crohn's disease](https://www.edgepedia.org/crohns-disease).[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02613-z)
## Honors and recognition
The Presidential Prizes in Science and Innovation for Young Scientists for 2012 were presented on February 8, 2013, with Chudakov among about four laureates; his prize was awarded for the development of genetically encoded fluorescent markers for visualization of objects and processes in biomedical research.[6](http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/17459) His IBCh record names him Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Biology in 2016 and a Corresponding Member of the Academy from 2022.[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45) A funder record adds membership of the Grants Council of the President of the Russian Federation since 2015 and of the Ministry of Education and Science Science Council, 2013 to 2015.[9](https://megagrant.ru/labs/scientists/scientist_rus_531361/)
## Representative work
His TRBV9 depletion study, "Targeted depletion of TRBV9+ T cells as immunotherapy in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis," *Nature Medicine*, 2023, reported that an HLA-B*27-positive patient achieved remission within three months of TRBV9+ T cell depletion, with complete remission persisting for four years ([doi:10.1038/s41591-023-02613-z](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02613-z)).[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02613-z)
## Recent developments
According to Dmitriy Chudakov's official IBCh RAS profile, since the *Nature Medicine* paper the anti-TRBV9 therapy has moved into a phase II trial and the Tribuvia drug has been developed with Biocad, while, per his profile, the MiXCR line has added a 2024 allele-inference database distributed through VDJ.online.[5](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02613-z) • [8](https://rsmu.ru/index.php?id=3691) • [10](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11694755/) His IBCh record adds a Professor appointment in the Department of Postgraduate Studies from 2026, and his stated current research focus is clonal T cell and [B cell](https://www.edgepedia.org/b-cell) populations in autoimmunity and cancer and quantitative analysis of T cell receptor and antibody repertoires.[1](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45)
## References
1. [Dmitriy Chudakov, IBCh RAS official profile](https://www.ibch.ru/en/unit/gocs/45)
2. [Dmitry M. Chudakov CV, IBCh RAS](https://www.ibch.ru/lgr/cv/cv_chu.htm)
3. [RNIMU staff profile: Chudakov Dmitry Mikhailovich](https://rsmu.ru/website-information/profil-sotrudnika?cHash=e6748c3eb9f9a4655d311439c559bea7&cv=7304&cvview=105)
4. [MiXCR software repository](https://github.com/milaboratory/mixcr)
5. [Targeted depletion of TRBV9+ T cells as immunotherapy in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis, Nature Medicine, 2023](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02613-z)
6. [Presentation of the 2012 Presidential Prizes for Young Scientists, Kremlin.ru](http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/17459)
7. [Chudakov D.M., doctoral dissertation abstract, 2011](https://www.studmed.ru/chudakov-d-m-geneticheski-kodiruemye-fluorescentnye-instrumenty-dlya-issledovaniya-zhivyh-sistem_3b4f4ef785b.html)
8. [RNIMU Immunomedicine project page](https://rsmu.ru/index.php?id=3691)
9. [Chudakov Dmitry Mikhailovich, megagrant.ru scientist record](https://megagrant.ru/labs/scientists/scientist_rus_531361/)
10. [Ultrasensitive allele inference from immune repertoire sequencing data with MiXCR, 2024](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11694755/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Life and health scientists › Life scientists › Researchers in immunology, microbiology, and virology › T cell development and signaling › T cell receptor signaling*
*Initially written Sep 21, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 25, 2026; Sep 30, 2026 · Edited: Sep 25, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 30, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license