Li Lab

The Li laboratory utilizes innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to discover and delineate the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing vesicular trafficking and cell signaling in health and neurodegenerative disease.  We have strong expertise in doing basic and translational neurobiology research by using a combination of biochemical, cell biological, proteomics, glycoproteomics, systems biology, and molecular genetic analyses with translational studies in human patient specimens.  Our studies have identified many novel regulators of neuronal signaling and protein trafficking and generated new insights into the fundamental mechanisms controlling synaptic vesicle exocytosis, endo-lysosomal trafficking, mitochondrial quality control, and cell signaling mediated by protein post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination, phosphorylation, and glycosylation.  Furthermore, our research has unveiled previously unknown pathways linking dysregulated protein trafficking, aberrant post-translational modifications, and altered cell signaling to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease, and peripheral neuropathy.  By bridging cell biology and systems biology with disease pathology, the lab's current research aims to discover novel molecular targets and cellular networks for therapeutic intervention to combat Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.