On July 19, 2024, Yang Li, a researcher under the “Hundred Talents Program” at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, was invited by Professor Dalei Wu to participate in the “Mountains and Seas: Knowing the Microorganism” series forum. He delivered an academic presentation titled “Research and Development of new drugs for Neuropsychiatric diseases in the Aging Era.” The report was chaired by Professor Dalei Wu.

Researcher Yang Li began his presentation by addressing the current state of major neurological diseases in the aging era. He provided a detailed explanation of the incidence rates, disability rates, and treatment statuses of conditions such as depression, anxiety, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Secondly, the research progress of anti-Parkinson's drugs is systematically reviewed, and the related knowledge of dopamine system which is closely related to the disease is deeply explained.Building on this, he proposed a new approach for developing anti-psychiatric drugs—the D1 agonist-D2 antagonist strategy. Subsequently, Yang Li shifted the focus of the report to non-monoamine antidepressants, taking ketamine as an example, and specifically introduced the research progress of drugs targeting NMDA receptors and GABA receptors. It is proposed that TREK-1 channel is a potential new therapeutic target for treatment-resistant depression, and it is found that there are several important regulatory sites on this channel, which are widely distributed in the intracellular, extracellular and transmembrane regions. Finally, he discussed the role of gut microbiota and envisioned the gut-brain axis as a primary battlefield for various anti-aging diseases, suggesting that in-depth research in this field will provide new insights for improving human health.

After the presentation, numerous faculty members and students actively asked questions about the topics discussed, and Researcher Yang Li patiently addressed each one. The lecture was successfully conducted and concluded on a high note, broadening the academic horizons of the audience and providing an enlightening academic journey for all attendees!

About Researcher Yang Li:

Yang Li is a researcher under the “Hundred Talents Program” at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the head of a research group at the National Key Laboratory of Original Innovative Drugs.He is engaged in the development of new drugs for neuropsychiatric disorders, focusing on novel targets and mechanisms related to monoamine receptors, ion channels, and synaptic transmission. He has published over 50 papers in prestigious journals such as Cell, Nature Structure, and Science Advances, and holds 26 patents, including 6 international patents. His research has been supported by major national programs such as the National New Drug Creation Initiative, the Ministry of Science and Technology's Major Projects, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Strategic Priority Research Programs. He serves as a review expert for the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Health Commission, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. Additionally, he holds academic positions such as Vice Chairman of the Chinese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology, Council Member of the Shanghai Pharmacological Society, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Geriatric Pharmacy Committee, and Guest Editor of Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Photo/Text: Wenxiu Wang, Na Li

Editor: Na Li