Investigation into genetics of susceptibility to tuberculosis and elucidation of biological mechanisms involved host susceptibility to TB (Chief Scientist: Changxin Wu)

    We currently focus on susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB) and mycobacterial infection. Our groups consist of TB clinicians in hospitals, scientists in the national or local Center for Disease Control (CDC) and  experts in human genetics and other mycobacterial research institutes in China. In collaboration with the labs of infectious disease division in Medicine Department, School of Clinical Medicine and Veterinary Science Center in the Department of Veterinary，Vet School, Cambridge University and related labs in other western universities or institutes,  we perform functional analysises of the genes in cellular and animal models to elucidate the mechanisms of genetic variants affecting the susceptibility to TB at molecular and cellular levels after screening human genes associated with TB susceptibility using genetics approaches. These researches will reveal human genes that predispose to or protect from TB and may highlight new pathways that are involved in control of M. tuberculosis infection and progression to pulmonary TB. We will also combine information obtained in these experiments to investigate interaction between human genes that predispose to TB and virulence factors of mycobacteria during TB development. Eventually, our goals are to lead to better understanding of TB pathogenesis and may develop of new interventions and therapeutics to treat infections, and generate new strategies for TB effective prevention, control and therapy.

 

Shanxi Province Endemic High-risk Tumor Biology Research Team (Chief Scientist: Zhuoyu Li)

    This group will focus on the pathogenesis of colon cancer, and study the function and regulation mechanism of important genes from molecular, cellular, model animal and patient tissues levels. The team will establish animal models of related diseases for tumor prevention and natural drug screening. At the same time, the team will cooperate with Shanxi Tumor Hospital and other units to provide molecular markers and therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of human colon cancer. Now there are three main directions:

1. Molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and progression；

2. Development of antitumor functional molecules derived from natural products；

3. Induction effect of environmental factors on tumor and target screening.

 

Basic and Applied Research Team for Embryonic Stem Cell Biology (Chief Scientist: Jinpei Ye)

  Stem cell research has emerged as a hot area in modern medicine in recent years. Stem cells are primitive cells that can self-renew as well as can give rise to certain terminally differentiated cell populations. Therefore， they are important tools for understanding normal human development, study of aetiology of diseases and discovery of new drugs. They can also generate potentially the right cells and tissues for cell-based therapies for devastating and currently incurable diseases. The research of this group involves the derivation, maintenance, differentiation and genetic modification of stem cells from different sources， and their applications in disease modelling and regenerative medicine. The major goals of our stem research are therefore three-folds: a) for banking of various clinical-grade stem cells, b) for stem cell modelling of rare genetic diseases, and c) for clinical translation of various stem cell products. Specific studies include as following:

1) Stem cell resource development and stem cell characterization: establishment of clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines and human induced pluripotent cell (hiPSC) lines, derivation/analysis of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and derivation/characterization of large and laboratory animal embryonic-like stem cells 

2）Stem cell differentiation and production of therapeutic cells from stem cells: establishment of in vitro systems for generation of human hematopoietic lineage cells including hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs)/progenitors (HPCs) and mature hematopoietic cells (e.g., red blood cells and lymphocytes), and for other lineage cells including endothelial cells (ECs) and mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs).

3) Cellular reprogramming and dedifferentiation: study of cellular reprogramming with various methods to produce functional cells (e.g., HSCs) either via complete reprogramming or via dedifferentiation or direct reprogramming.

4) Genome editing or genetic modification of stem cells and germ cells (embryos) in humans and animals: targeting certain important single gene diseases in humans and/or production characterizations of animals.   

5) Cancer stem cells: the relationship between tissue stem cells and cancers, identification of potential cancer stem cells, specifically the HSCs and Leukaemia among other types of cancers.

 

Genetic analyses of patients with rare diseases and primary Immunodeficiencies (Chief Scientist: Han Xiao)

   Taking advantage of the highest incidence of rare diseases and very rich biomedical resources in Shanxi , China, we apply genetic approaches to screen genetic variants which are causative to rare diseases. My labs are particularly interested in Primary Immunodeficiencies (PIDs) comprise a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders that affect functions of the immune system and manifest as severe and/or recurrent infections. Mutations in more than human 200 genes are known to cause various PIDs. We study PID patients in collaboration with clinicians and clinical scientists working at hospitals in Shanxi Province and across China. We use whole exome sequencing to search for causative mutations, followed by detailed functional molecular analyses of the affected cellular pathways in vitro and in vivo models in the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences (IBMS), Shanxi University, China.