I. Profile
The Brain Function and Disease Laboratory is a key laboratory approved by the Shandong Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission. Established in 2013, it used to be the Neuroscience Institute of Binzhou Medical University. In 2017, it successfully passed the evaluation of the Shandong Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission. At present, the main research directions of the laboratory are: (1) nerve damage and neuroprotection after stroke; (2) the role of ion channels in neurological/psychiatric diseases; (3) neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive dysfunction mechanisms; and ( 4) sensory nerve conduction pathway function and disease. Since its establishment, the laboratory has undertaken more than 40 projects of various types, including 7 National Natural Science Foundation projects, 8 Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation projects, Shandong Provincial Key R&D Program and other provincial and ministerial projects, and more than 12 department-level projects such as Science and Technology Plan for universities in Shandong, Science and Technology Plan of Shandong Provincial Health Department, and Youth Attraction and Cultivation Program for universities in Shandong, with a total research funding of about 10 million yuan. More than 40 SCI papers have been published, including 8 Quarter-1 articles of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
II. The Team
There are 18 scientific researchers in the Laboratory, including 3 professors, 7 associate professors, 8 lecturers, and 1 experimental technician, all with education background of doctoral or master's degrees. Among them, there is 1 National Outstanding Teacher and 1 famous teaching faculty in Shandong Province, and 2 School-Level Academic Leaders and Young and Middle-aged Academic Backbone Cultivation Talents.
Professor Ma Chunlei, postgraduate tutor, otolaryngology expert, level 3 professor of physiology, National Outstanding Teacher, Famous Teaching Faculty of Shandong Province, Famous Teaching Faculty of Binzhou Medical University, member of American Neuroscience Society, Drector of Chinese Physiological Society, Executive Director of Shandong Physiological Society, visiting scholar to School of Medicine of the University of California at San Diego, a postdoctoral fellow at Carleton University in Canada, and an associate researcher at the Institute of Neurology, University of Ottawa, Canada. In 2010, as a talent Professor Ma was recruited by Binzhou Medical University to establish the Institute of Neuroscience. The main research areas are the impact of the functional status of the glutamatergic neurotransmitter-receptor system on auditory nerve function and the impact on brain cognitive function. Professor Ma has published more than 40 SCI research papers in Molecular Psychiatry, Journal of Neuroscience, J Neurochemistry, Neuroscience, Hearing Research, and Laryngoscope and served as the primal review expert of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the final review expert of the project conclusion evaluation for Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation.
Sun Hui, associate professor, doctor of medicine, postgraduate tutor, member of the American Society of Neuroscience, member of the Synaptic Professional Committee of the Chinese Neuroscience Society, member of the Shandong Physiological Society, member of the Scientific Committee of the Shandong Physiological Society, primal evaluation expert of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, responsible person for Shandong Youth Innovation Attraction Program, has mainly engaged in the study of the role of ion channels in the mechanism and treatment of nervous system diseases, specializing in the application of patch clamp, optogenetic techniques and calcium imaging in the research of nervous system diseases, published 10 SCI papers in British Journal of Pharmacology, Journal of Neurochemistry, Molecular Vision and other journals, presided over 4 projects including the National Natural Science Foundation projects, Shandong Natural Science Foundation projects, Science and Technology Plan for universities in Shandong, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Open Project Foundation, and participated in 3 projects including the “973” project and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, with a research funding of 3.17 million.
III. Academic Achievements
1.Part of the Project Results
(1) The role and mechanism of GABAergic neurons in the VTA area in regulating the function of DA neurons in the occurrence of depression-National Natural Science Foundation of China (RMB 550,000; Sun Hui; January 2020).
(2) NADPH oxidase pathway and mitoKATP mediate the protective effect of sulforaphane on retinal ganglion cells in diabetic rats-National Natural Science Foundation of China (RMB 200,000; Pan Hong; January 2018).
(3) The effect and mechanism of hydrogen sulfide on retinal damage and calcium overload caused by ischemia-National Natural Science Foundation of China (RMB 230,000; Sun Hui; January 2014).
(4) The role and mechanism of paraventricular nucleus proinflammatory cytokines in regulating the hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system in spontaneously hypertensive rats-National Natural Science Foundation of China (RMB 230,000; Shi Zhen; January 2013.)
(5) The gating effect of ASIC1a on NMDAR and the neuron damage and neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia-National Natural Science Foundation of China (RMB 140,000; Ma Chunlei; March 2012).
(6) Research on technologies and standards related to drug use safety and blood transfusion safety (a special sub-project of scientific research in the health industry)-Department of Science Education, National Health and Family Planning Commission (RMB 100,000; Ma Chunlei; December 2014).
(7) The effect of ASIC1a on NMDAR function during cerebral hypoxia-Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (70,000; Ma Chunlei; January 2012).
(8) Experimental study of paraventricular nucleus proinflammatory cytokines on fat afferent reflex and sympathetic overactivation in obese hypertension-Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (RMB 220,000; Shi Zhen; March 2018).
(9) The neuroprotective effect of sulforaphane on the visual function of the retina in diabetic mice and its mechanism-Shandong Natural Science Foundation (RMB 70,000; Pan Hong; July 2016).
(10) The regulatory effect and mechanism of ASIC1a on TLRs receptors during cerebral ischemia-Shandong Natural Science Foundation (RMB 50,000; Yangliu; January 2015).
(11) Mitochondrial-endoplasmic reticulum structure coupling (MAM) mediates the neuroprotective effect of ALR under cerebral ischemia-Shandong Natural Science Foundation of China (RMB 140,000; Jiang Shujun; January 2015).
(12) The effect and mechanism of hydrogen sulfide on calcium overload during retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury-Shandong Natural Science Foundation (RMB 60,000; Shi Zhen; January 2014).
(13) The effect of hydrogen sulfide on calcium overload during retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury and its mechanism-Shandong Natural Science Foundation (RMB 60,000; Sun Hui; December 2013).
(14) The role and mechanism of CBS/CSE in post-traumatic stress disorder-Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (RMB 50,000; Liu Hongxia; December 2013).
2. Some Papers and Works
(1) Ma Chunlei. Acid-Sensing Ion Channel 1a Modulates NMDA Receptor Function Through Targeting R1/NR2A/NR2B Triheteromeric Receptors; IF:3.5, 2020, Neuroscience.
(2) Sun Hui. Kv7.4 channel contribute to projection-specific auto-inhibition of dopamine neurons in ventral tegmental area; IF:4.3, 2019, Front. Cell.Neurosci.
(3) Shi Zhen Short hairpin RNA interference targeting interleukin 1 receptor type I in the paraventricular nucleus attenuates hypertension in rats; IF: 3.2, 2018, Pflugers Arch.
(4) Sun Hui. Selective targeting of M-type potassium channel Kv7.4 demonstrates its key role in regulating of dopaminergic neuronal excitability and depression-like behaviou; IF:6.8, 2017, British Journal of Pharmacology.
(5) Ma Chunlei. Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Protects Neurons From Excitotoxic Death through Inhibition of NMDARs; IF:2.8, 2016, ASN Neuro.
(6) Shi Zhen. Paraventricular nucleus is involved in the central pathway of adipose afferent reflex in rats; IF:1.7,2016,Can.J.Physiol Pharmacol.
(7) Ma Chunlei. NMDAR-Mediated Hippocampal Neuronal Death is Exacerbated by Activities of ASIC1a; IF: 3.15, 2015, Neurotoxicity Research.
IV. Infrastructure
The laboratory has a total area of 400 square meters and a total equipment value of more than 7 million yuan. It currently has 7 technology platforms such as animal metabolism, patch clamp electrophysiology, morphological testing, proteomics, neurochemistry and molecular biology, and advanced neural activity and cognition. It mainly uses advanced technologies such as genetic manipulation, electrophysiology, and optogenetics to conduct research on central and peripheral system functions and diseases, cardiovascular activities, and neurohumoral regulation.
