About 20 years ago, He established his lab and has since worked extensively on muscle stem cell regeneration, particularly exploring how these processes change with age. One of his key research advancements has been the use of immune system secretions to promote muscle stem cell regeneration. His research group has pioneered a new line of investigation that examines the cross-talk between the immune system and skeletal muscle stem cell ageing. Specifically, they are studying how immune system secretions influence the muscle stem cell niche, regulate regeneration, and contribute to the onset of weakness as part of the ageing process. To investigate these interactions in depth, He developed an innovative culture model that allows for the examination of immune system effects on muscle regeneration. More recently, they bioengineered a novel functional nerve-muscle co-culture platform, enabling them to study the role of the immune system in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Currently, this model is being used to explore the role of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the development of diabetes-related complications.

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