The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) launched the Major Research Plan （MRP）“Coronavirus and Host Immune Interaction Landscape and Intervention Strategies” on January 28, 2021 .

This MRP focuses on the landscape of dynamic interaction between coronavirus and the host immune system. Novel multi-scale, multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary paradigms are encouraged to be applied to identify the key molecules and dynamic regulatory networks involved in coronavirus-host interaction; to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the balance between immune protection and immune damage and their clinical manifestations; and to further develop new targeted treatment strategies against immune damage, therapeutic antiviral agents and vaccines with persistent efficacy. This research plan also supports epidemiological studies of herd immunity. Together, this plan is expected to provide new theories and innovative technologies for the prevention and control of viral epidemic diseases. The MRP priorities include:

1) Cellular infection route and its impact on the establishment of infection and immune response initiation and regulation.

2) Mechanisms underlying virus sensing and immune response initiation.

3) Multi-dimensional systemic mechanisms of antiviral immune protection and immune  memory.

4) Dynamic pathological mechanisms of virus-induced immune damage.

5) Establishment of novel approaches and strategies for disease surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and immune function evaluation.

This Major Research Plan will be initiated from 2021 with the proposed duration of 8 years and the total funding of 200 million RMB.