Establishment and Development:

Translational medical Laboratory for neurodegenerative diseases was born from a shared vision and passion for neurodegenerative diseases, relying on Shandong University and located in the Second Hospital of Shandong University, was approved as the Key Laboratory of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan University of Shandong Province in 2011. Recognizing the gap between clinical research with basic scientific study, our founders decided to establish a laboratory dedicated to construct a clinical database of dementia. The journey of our lab began with the initial funding of National Program on Key Basic Research Project (973 Program). With a small but dedicated team, we set out to establish a research laboratory that would be recognized for its excellence and impact. Since its inception, our lab has gone through a remarkable journey of growth and development. Additionally, we have forged valuable collaborations and partnerships to further enhance our research capabilities.

Team Members:

Our team is composed of 48 researchers, 3 doctoral supervisors and 5 master supervisors, forming a high level of stable academic team. Together, they work tirelessly to study on pathogenesis and early biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases.

Current Director: Jianzhong Bi

Research Areas:

1. Epidemiology and molecular genetics of neurodegenerative diseases;

2. Study on pathogenesis and early biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases(e.g., dementia/Parkinson disease);

3. Research and development of innovative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

Research Achievements:

We have made significant contributions in the pathogenesis, translational medicine and epidemiological research of neurodegenerative disease (e.g., Alzheimer's disease).

1) We discovered a new mechanism involved autophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction and epigenetic factors in the pathogenesis of AD, and small chemical molecules 3BDO and D609 were screened, which can improve the cognitive function of AD animal models. It was found that melatonin can play a neuroprotective role in AD by promoting mitochondrial synthesis and improving mitochondrial function. Biological macromolecules G-CSF and self-assembled AKVAV polypeptide nanofibers were found to improve the cognitive function of AD animal models by anti-inflammatory and reducing Aβ deposition, which provides a new idea for the clinical treatment of AD.

2) A lot of work has been done from the induction of endogenous stem cell proliferation and differentiation by biomacromolecules to the direct or indirect intervention of exogenous mesenchymal in AD animal models, and the mechanism of stem cell therapy for AD has been deeply discussed. It was found that both endogenous stem cells and exogenous mesenchymal stem cells can improve cognitive impairment in AD animal models, including promoting neurovascular regeneration, reducing Aβ deposition and inhibiting inflammatory response.

3) Professor Bi led the team to focus on the pre-dementia stage of AD, namely the SCD and MCI stages, and conduct prospective studies using baseline investigation, cohort study, molecular epidemiology and trial epidemiology to find new influencing factors of the pre-dementia stage of AD and biomarkers that can be used for the diagnosis of the pre-dementia stage of AD. Research cohorts and bio-database for pre-dementia and Alzheimer's disease has been established.

Main Publications:

（1）Xu Y, Meng Y, Wang P, Sun L, Xu S. Teaching NeuroImage: Seizures as the Initial Symptom of Relapsing Polychondritis. Neurology. 2022 Feb 8;98(6):e677-e678.

（2）Cao X, Chen Y, Sang X, et al. Impact prediction of translocation of the mitochondrial outer membrane 70 as biomarker in Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci. 2022;14:1013943. Published 2022 Nov 2.

（3）Sheng N, Wang YQ, Wang CF, et al. AGR2-induced cholesterol synthesis drives lovastatin resistance that is overcome by combination therapy with allicin. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022;43(11):2905-2916.

（4）Xu L, Wang W, Song W. A combination of metformin and insulin improve cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2022;191:110073.

（5）Xu Y, Meng Y, Wang P, Sun L, Xu S. Teaching NeuroImage: Seizures as the Initial Symptom of Relapsing Polychondritis. Neurology. 2022;98(6):e677-e678.

（6）Ling X, Wang T, Han C, et al. IFN-γ-Primed hUCMSCs Significantly Reduced Inflammation via the Foxp3/ROR-γt/STAT3 Signaling Pathway in an Animal Model of Multiple Sclerosis. Front Immunol. 2022;13:835345. Published 2022 Mar 1.

（7）Yin Y, Xie Z, Chen D, et al. Integrated investigation of DNA methylation, gene expression and immune cell population revealed immune cell infiltration associated with atherosclerotic plaque formation. BMC Med Genomics. 2022;15(1):108. Published 2022 May 9.

（8）Jin S, Zhang C, Zhang Y, Jia G, Zhang M, Xu M. Differential value of intima thickness in ischaemic stroke due to large-artery atherosclerosis and small-vessel occlusion. J Cell Mol Med. 2021 Oct;25(19):9427-9433.

（9）Zhou S, Yu X, Wang M, Meng Y, Song D, Yang H, Wang D, Bi J, Xu S. Long Non-coding RNAs in Pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Aug 30;9:719247.

（10）Li Q, Chen J, Liang F, Zhang J, Qu W, Huang X, Cheng X, Zhao X, Yang Z, Xu S, Li X. RYBP modulates embryonic neurogenesis involving the Notch signaling pathway in a PRC1-independent pattern. Stem Cell Reports. 2021 Dec 14;16(12):2988-3004.

Facilities & Resources:

Our state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology enable us to conduct research that is both rigorous and innovative. We boast advanced large-scale instruments and equipment, including PET/MR, high-throughput second-generation sequencer, pyrophosphate sequencer, liquid chip analyzer, sorting flow cytometer, small animal live imaging, gait analysis system, OCT tester, PCR fluorescence quantitative analyzer, laser confocal microscope, two-color infrared laser imaging system, MRI scanner, etc. Moreover, the hospital opened the central laboratory and scientific research technology platform equipped with a variety of large-scale advanced instruments to the laboratory, which provided perfect hardware conditions for the laboratory to carry out scientific research projects.

Collaborations & Partnerships:

We believe in the power of collaboration. That's why we have forged partnerships with Karolinska institution to further advance our research. We look for cooperation in epidemiology (e.g., risk and protective factors, distribution, time trends, and determinants) , brain aging and dysfunction (e.g., cognitive decline, dementia, and functional dependence), screening biomarkers of dementia and functional disability.

Recreational Activities:

Routine social gatherings, sports and fitness activities, cultural events, festivals and celebrations, professional development workshops, and so on.

Other Features:

Our laboratory is an interesting, inclusive, harmonious, and warm team. Welcome to join us.

Contact:

For more information or inquiries, please contact us at email: xie_zhaohong@sdu.edu.cn.