长期研究目标为探索免疫代谢调控的分子机理。主要探讨机体内病原微生物的致病机理；探讨天然免疫系统、细胞自主免疫（Cell-Autonomous Immunity）防御病原微生物的分子机理，尤其是免疫代谢反应在其中的重要作用。

近期代表性论:

Chen M., Sun H, Boot M, Lin S, Chang SJ, Wang W, Lam TT, Lara-Tejero M, Rego EH, Galán JE*. Itaconate is an effector of a Rab GTPase cell-autonomous host defense pathway against Salmonella.Science. 2020 Jul 24;369(6502):450-455.  (IF=47.728)

Chen M., Zhao, Z., Meng, Q., Liang, P., Su, Z., Wu, Y., Huang, J. and Cui, J. *, 2019. TRIM14 Promotes Noncanonical NF‐κB Activation by Modulating p100/p52 Stability via Selective Autophagy. Advanced Science, p.1901261. (IF=16.806)

Chen M., Meng, Q., Qin, Y., Liang, P., Tan, P., He, L., Zhou, Y., Chen, Y., Huang, J., Wang, R.F. and Cui, J. *, 2016. TRIM14 inhibits cGAS degradation mediated by selective autophagy receptor p62 to promote innate immune responses. Molecular cell, 64(1), pp.105-119. (IF=15.584)

Huan Lia, Donghyun Park, Meixin Chen, Florian Schueder, Maria Lara-Tejero, Jun Liu, Jorge E. Galán*, Parkinson’s disease kinase LRRK2 coordinates a cell-intrinsic itaconate-dependent defence pathway against intracellular Salmonella. Nature Microbiology, 8(10), 1880-1895.

Liu, T., Zhou, Y., Wang, L., Li, L., Bao, Q., Tian, S., Chen, M., Chen, H., Cui, J. * and Li, C.W. *, 2019. NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) contributes to inflammation, pyroptosis, and mucin production in human airway epithelium on rhinovirus infection. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 144(3), pp.777-787. (IF=14.1)