LI Hanjie Wins C.C. Tan Life Science Innovation Award for Immune Cell Discovery

The C.C. Tan Life Science Awards The 18th Award Ceremony, China's highest honor in life sciences, took place on November 22 at China Pharmaceutical University. Dr. LI Hanjie, a researcher at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology(SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences, was awarded the C.C. Tan Life Science Innovation Award for his groundbreaking discovery of a novel class of immune cells in the human peripheral system.

Dr. LI's research focuses on immune cell development and function. Since returning to China in 2020, he and his team created the world's most comprehensive developmental map of the human immune system, covering a wide range of tissues and timeframes. They identified several "new types" of immune cells, a discovery that was named one of the "Top 10 Science and Technology News in China in 2023" and praised by global scholars for its transformative impact on the field.

A key breakthrough was the identification of immune cells in peripheral tissues, including the nervous system, that resemble brain microglia. These newly discovered cells, which surround neurons, are involved in neuron maturation and function maintenance. This finding challenges traditional models of neuron-glial interactions and introduces a new "microglia lineage" concept, bridging central and peripheral immune cells and expanding research in neurobiology and macrophage biology.

Dr. Li's work was published in Cell in 2023 and 2025, earning international recognition for its importance.

"Science is about discovering the unknown," Dr. Li said. "This award recognizes our team's courage to challenge the status quo and our commitment to original research. We are excited to continue exploring these novel cells and their potential in treating diseases."

Dr. LI Hanjie was awarded the C.C. Tan Life Science Innovation Award. (Image by SIAT)