Immunology has become as an attractive discipline of biomedical science in the 21st century,integrated with the rapid development of molecular biology,cell biology,structural biology,genetics and other branches in life sciences.A special issue of Sci China Life Sci was published in February 2010 to highlight recent progresses in immunology.Six review articles focusing on various specific topics were contributed by leading scientists who work in respective fields of immunology.Some progresses of immunology research in China are also described.