Dr. Liang is a pioneer in the field of Inflammaging and the regulation of HSC and immune function. Aging is associated with inflammation. Acute infection or chronic systemic inflammation can remarkably change the hematopoietic and immune system, including emergency granulopoiesis, lymphoid suppression, and HSC functional impairment. We have identified the important role of inflammatory cytokine S100A8/A9 in the regulation of HSC and immune function in response to acute COVID19 infection. Aging is the biggest risk factor for cancer development. Clonal hematopoiesis has recently been identified as an aging hallmark and contributes to age-related leukemia development and cardiovascular diseases. Several genetic mutations are associated with clonal hematopoiesis. Asxl1 is one of the top 5 genes, but its mechanism in clonal evolution and leukemogenesis remain largely unknown. Dr. Liang's group has found that aging niche contributes to the clonal expansion of Asxl1 mutant HSC, and the age-associated extrinsic changes may underlie the increased risk for myelodysplastic syndrome and leukemia development in the elderly.