申请者从事肝再生和损伤修复机制研究。主要研究了核转录因子STAT3及相关IL-22和自然杀伤T细胞（NKT）在肝再生、肝损伤炎症和肝癌中的作用。发现STAT3在免疫细胞和肝细胞上的功能不同，且能发生相互作用；其上游细胞因子IL-22既可促进肝细胞再生，又可促进肝癌的发生；激活的NKT细胞可分泌IFN-γ和IL-4，共同调控肝损伤炎症，抑制肝再生。在前期建立酒精性肝纤维化小鼠模型的基础上，拟揭示肝星状细胞STAT3在酒精性肝纤维化中的功能及机制。共发表SCI论文57篇，总引用次数933次，H指数20，以第一/通讯作者在Hepatology, Journal of Pineal Research, The American Journal of Pathology上发表SCI论文13篇(4篇IF>10)。主持国自然3项和省杰青1项。曾获美国临床医学研究者学会最佳壁报奖和事业发展奖。

My research area is focusing on liver regeneration, injury and repair. In the past 5 years, I have extensively characterized the roles of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and its related IL-22 as well as natural killer T (NKT) cells in liver injur, inflammation, regeneration, and carcinogenesis. This work affects our understanding of the STAT3 function in the liver by providing novel concepts of the interaction between immune cell and liver cells, and by providing novel therapeutic targets to treat liver diseases. I have also demonstrated that IFN-gamma and IL-4, production of both cytokines is the hallmark of NKT cell activation, play opposing roles in controlling neutrophil and NKT cell expansion, thereby differentially modulating liver injury and inflammation. Activated NKT cells also play inhibitory role in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Previous studies were performed to establish the mouse model of alcoholic liver fibrosis. This application plans to further investigate the function of STAT3 in the pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatic fibrosis.The results from the proposed studies will provide new therapeutic target for alcoholic liver fibrosis.I have published total 57 research articles, of which 13 papers as first/corresponding author in the highly prestigious journal including Hepatology, Journal of Pineal Research, The American Journal of Pathology. The sum of time cited is more than 700 and H index is 20. My research was supported by 3 National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC) grants and 1 outstanding Youth Fund of Anhui Province. In recognition of my outstanding contributions as a Young Physician-Scientist, in 2010 I got the Best Poster Award (top 2% poster at ASCI meeting) and then received the Career Development Award (only 8 recipients per year) by American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI).