Pharmacology Faculty

Li-Na Wei, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology

email me

Publications

Research Interests

Dr. Wei's lab is interested in multiple regulatory pathways and underlying mechanisms in differentiation and function of neurons and adipocytes. Two principal signaling pathways are our targets of investigation: a) hormone (vitamin A and fatty acids) signaling pathways that involve nuclear receptors and coregulators to trigger chromatin remodeling, and b) extra-nuclear signaling pathways that regulate post-transcriptional events, specifically, mRNA transport and localized translation.

Our experimental systems include cultures of primary neuron, adipocyte and embryonic stem/embryonal carcinoma cells, as well as genetic animal models. Our experimental methodologies include molecular, biochemical, cellular and genetic methods, as well as heavy uses of mass spec methodologies for proteomic investigation of critical regulatory components in these signaling pathways, such as nuclear receptors, coregulator RIP140, and new RNA binding proteins.

Extending from  studies of these basic biological problems, we are also interested in application of these studies in important diseases such as metabolic syndromes and neurological disorders related to, or caused by, abnormal lipid metabolism, mRNA transport and/or translation in neurons.