Profile

RESEARCH INTERESTS
1. Host immune responses to RSV infection
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of respiratory viral infection in infancy with the clinical illnesses varied from common cold-like symptoms to severe bronchiolitis and pneumonitis. The severity of pulmonary inflammmation is related to the extense of mononuclear cells infiltration and expression patterns of Th related cytokines. A Th1 to Th2 bias was believed to play a major role in severe RSV bronchiolitis. Recently the over-expression of IL17 was revealed related to severe RSV disease whereas regulatory T cells (iTregs) was proved to be important in controlling the disease, thus iTregs and Th17 cells are added as new players in controlling the severity of RSV bronchiolitis. We have established mice RSV infection models with mild or severe bronchiolitis. An overpression of chemokine CCL2 was detected in the bronchoalveloar lavage (BAL) from mice with severe bronchiolitis. CCL2 is a well studied chemokine with its chemoattract bioactivity of recruiting monocytes into the site of infection. Interestingly, CCL2 might also directly affects T cells differentiation with the mechanisms kept unrevealed. We made the hypothesis that the CCL2 work as a co-stimulatory factor for naïve T cell activation and/or contribute to the composition of microenvironments which is critial for both Th cell differentiation and funtion. We are currently working on the following aspects 1.check the direct effects of CCL2 to Th0 cells in a in vitro differentiation culture model; 2. dynamicly check the patterns of cytokines and chemokines expression in lung as well as in BAL during the course of disease; 3. check the composition of Th subpopulations and profiles of their chemokine receptor expression both in lung and in draining lumph tissues at the early and late stages of the disease; 4. use ex-vivo stimulation conditions, check the differentiation of Th0 cells in lung and track the migration of Th cells; 5. use CFSE staining in vivo cell tracking technique, study the funtional switch of Th cells from draining lymph tissues to the lung. Due to the plasticity of Th cell subpopulation, we might be able to adjust the Th responses from Th2/Th17 to Th1/iTregs bias. Our results will help for the understanding of RSV pathogenesis and provide potential targets for anti-virus therapy.

2. Cancer associated herpes viruses infection and host immune responses

SCIENTIFIC CAREER
2008.8－2010.7
Associate specialist
Department of Dermatology
Medical school, University of California, Irvine, USA
PI: Dr. Sergei A. Grando

2006.12-
Faculty, Associate professor
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology
Medical school of Zhejiang University, China
Head: Prof. Dr. Jie Yan

2005.7-9
Visiting scholar of DAAD
Host scientist: Prof. Dr. Ottmar Janßen
Host institute: Institut für Immunologie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany

2004-2006
Research fellow/Lecturer
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology
Medical school of Zhejiang University, China
Head: Prof. Dr. Jie Yan

2001-2004
PhD student, Co-worker
Institut für Immunologie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
Group leader: Prof. Dr. Ottmar Janßen
Director: Prof. Dr. med. Dieter. Kabelitz

1996-2001
Research and teaching assistant
Institute of Microbiology, Medical School of Zhejiang University, China
Head: Prof. Dr. Miaoquan Lu

1995-1996
Intern
First Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, China
Chair: Prof. Dr. Shushen Zheng

EDUCATION
2001.12-2004.6
Doctor of nature science in Cell Biology,
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Germany.
Thesis”CD95L-interacting proteins: New insights into complex signaling networks”.

1998.9-2001.6
Master of science in Microbiology,
Zhejiang University, China.
Thesis” human cytomegalovirus in bone marrow and solid organ transplant recipients, diagnosis and genotyping”

1991-1996
Bachelor of Medicine, Medical School, Zhejiang University.

1985-1991 No. 4 Middle School, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P. R. China

Membership in Scientific Societies
2002-2004 German Society for Immunology
2002- Signal Transduction Society (STS) in Germany
1998- Chinese Medical Association Zhejiang Branch