University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · PharmacologyCheng Immunology Lab
Wei Cheng · Ann Arbor, Michigan
Research Focus
Dr. Wei Cheng's lab at the University of Michigan studies how B cells, a type of immune cell, recognize and respond to viruses and viral-like particles. By using advanced techniques to create model antigens, the lab explores the intricate mechanisms through which B cells are activated, leading to stronger immune responses. This research not only enhances our understanding of the immune system but also aids in the development of better vaccines against viral infections.
B cell activationviral detectionimmune responsevaccine designparticulate antigensbiophysicscell signalingToll-like receptors
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how B cells recognize viral surface proteins and nucleic acids.
AIM 02Study the activation mechanisms of B cells in response to particulate antigens.
AIM 03Develop model antigens to mimic viral features for experimental studies.
AIM 04Explore the roles of different antigen densities in B cell activation.
AIM 05Assess the implications of B cell responses for vaccine development.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturelive cell imagingmicroscopyflow cytometrysingle-molecule techniquesRNA sequencinganimal modelsprotein analysisimmunology techniques
Output against the department
Publications144bottom 40% of dept.276th of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations21ktop 16% of dept.74th of 462
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.