A main focus of our lab is to understand the germinal center (GC) biology and how humoral immune memory is developed, maintained and recalled. Using a variety of genetic, biochemical, cell biological, and imaging approaches, we specifically ask (1) how do memory B cells and long-lived plasma cells develop from GC and persist; (2) how the GC facilitates productive while prevent unwanted immune activation at the same time; (3) how can we manipulate molecular pathways identified for improving vaccines and therapies.

Another area of focus in the lab is to understand the crosstalk between the nervous system and the immune system. We try to elucidate central neurocircuits in control of the humoral immune response and memory and understand whether and how peripheral immune responses are perceived and represented in the CNS. We also study how microglia regulate the immune homeostasis in the central nervous system.

Additionally, through collaborations with rheumatologists and clinical allergy specialists, we are deciphering immunological mechanisms underlying autoimmune and allergic diseases. By combining patient samples and disease models, we aim to uncover novel immune cell subsets, identify pathogenic autoreactive cells and autoantigen, and develop increasingly specific and targeted therapeutic strategies based on mechanistic understanding of disease pathogenesis.

研究领域

1. 体液免疫记忆机制研究。探究生发中心生物学和记忆B细胞、长寿浆细胞发育与维持机制及其在改进疫苗设计和评价的应用。

2. 神经-免疫双向调控机制研究。探究调控体液免疫应答与记忆的中枢神经环路与机制；小胶质细胞生物学。

3. 自身免疫性与过敏性疾病的免疫学基础。探究致病性淋巴细胞新亚群及调控机制，解码致病性自身抗原，开发基于致病机理的诊疗新手段。

科学贡献

祁海教授阐述了调控滤泡辅助T细胞发育与功能的系列分子通路 (Nature 2008, 2013; Science 2017; Immunity 2018)，发现了促进生发中心抗体亲和力成熟的正反馈细胞动力学规律 (Nature 2015, 2021)，鉴定了记忆B细胞前体 (Nature Immunology 2017)，发现了记忆细胞的关键功能决定因子 (Immunity, 2024) 与分化命运选择机制(Nature Immunology, 2024)，鉴定了骨髓长寿浆细胞 (Nature Immunology 2022)，定义了调控B细胞免疫记忆的脑-脾神经环路 (Nature 2020)，解析了体液免疫的两性差异 (Nature 2020), 为理解抗体免疫记忆的发生、维持与调控做出了系统和开创性贡献。祁海教授发表论文70余篇，通讯作者42篇。其中，8篇通讯（含共同）和2篇一作或共一作论文发表于Nature、Science和Cell，11篇是ESI高被引或热点论文。总被引8000余次，成果入选2020年度“中国生命科学十大进展”。

ORCID: 0000-0001-5475-3989

Bibliography: (# corresponding author; * co-first authors)

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