Project 132: Quality Control Improvement Program of the Clinical Laboratory

Contact Information:

Prof. Huiming Sheng

Project Description and Objectives:

Generally speaking, the dysregulation of immune cells (especially T cells) underlies the pathological mechanism of aging, autoimmune diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, glomerulonephritis) and autoinflammatory diseases (such as gout). We are focusing on the regulation of metabolites in immune cells (especially T cells). Purinergic signaling widely exists in immune cells, composed of ectonucleotidases (such as CD39 and CD73), P1 and P2 receptors, associated metabolites as well as downstream signaling. We are studying how purinergic signaling modulates T cell function and differentiation. We also applied single-cell sequencing technology to capture the change of T cell subset composition and the differential gene expression profile in pathological scenarios. In the past, people did not consider the role of adaptive immune cells in the pathogenesis of autoinflammatory diseases. However, such viewpoints are challenged by the emerging pieces of evidence. We found that hyperuricemia could erode the T cell community, thereby disrupting the whole immune system. These findings warrant further in-depth research. Students are welcome to join our program for this interesting research journey.

The Clinical Laboratory is one of the key departments of TongRen Hospital. There are 7 sub-groups including immunology, biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, etc. More than 500 projects have been carried out. There are 2 doctoral supervisors, and several senior experienced postgraduates lead the research and education teams. Ongoing research projects include the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and more than 10 municipal-level or district-level projects. We have had more than 100 peer-reviewed papers in SCI or Chinese journals published, and five patents have been approved.

This program is going to promote international cooperation and communication inspiring scientific passion in the the young generation as well as share experiences in improving quality control of clinical laboratories. Through this program, students will have a deeper understanding of quality control and laboratory management.

Eligibility Requirements:

Undergraduates with some lab experience with basic research; or graduate students with life science or medical background; Interested in immunological research.

Willing to learn about quality control of the clinical laboratory.

Interested in experimental operations.

Main Tasks:

Completion of a small topic from a big project. Learn how to operate immunological experiments (especially flow cytometry) and do data analysis; join the weekly discussions with the mentor; learn how to search the references and come up with a logical solution when encountering a problem.

Learn about the mechanism and protocols of various projects carried out by the clinical laboratory.

Understand the concept of quality control and learn about operations and precautions.

Website:

Lab: https://www.shtrhospital.com/index.aspx

School: N/A