Wei-Yang Lu, Scientist / Associate Professor
Why I Became a Scientist
When was a teen I wanted to be a medical doctor. However, soon after obtaining a medical degree from Shandong University in China, I was obligated to take a junior position in the Department of Physiology at the same university. Many years after postgraduate studies on neurophysiology, I was gradually attracted into the area and eventually became a neuroscientist. I never regretted to pursue a career in science because my life is fulfilled with exciting and inspiring experiences. My colleagues and I are enjoying satisfactions from the journey in exploring the mysteries of biological mechanisms, which may not be relevant to our current day-to-day life, but will be beneficial for human life in the future. We enthusiastically welcome new members to join our research team. With the comprehensive training programs in the laboratory, many students have become scientists.
Research Summary
Our research engages two major topics.
The first topic focuses on cellular and molecular mechanisms through which cytokines and trophic factors regulate central synaptic transmission and plasticity under physiological and/or disease conditions. Specifically, we use animal models to study how acute and chronic visceral inflammations/injuries affect cognitive functions as well as the ultra-structure of synapses and glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the cortex and hippocampus, by means of multiple techniques including immunohistochemistry and patch-clamp recordings.
The second topic is to study γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling in non-neuronal cells. GABA is a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain. Most recently we revealed an autocrine GABA signaling system in airway epithelial cells, which is associated with asthmatic reactions by increasing airway goblet cell formation and mucus overproduction. Currently, we are exploring GABAergic signaling in other visceral epithelial cells and investigating their roles in the process of visceral-brain interaction.
Research Questions and Disease Implications
How systemic inflammations affect synaptic transmission and brain functions?
Acute cognitive impairment is commonly observed in elderly patients suffering with inflammations in peripheral organs. In addition, aging-related neurodegenerative diseases are often associated with ongoing innate immune responses in the brain. Studies have revealed that in chronic neurodegenerative illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease, systemic inflammation can exacerbate symptoms of cognitive deficits and drive the progression of histological neurodegeneration.
What are the roles of GABA-signaling in non neuronal cells?
Although GABA is a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain, it also exists in the circulating plasma and GABA receptors are expressed in some non-neuronal cells of visceral organs. For example, GABA regulates pancreatic islet α-cell excitability and glucagon release. Most recently we found an autocrine GABA signaling system in airway epithelial cells, which is critically involved in asthmatic reactions.
Education
MD 1983 Shandong University, China
MSc 1987 Shandong University, China
PhD 1996 Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
Training
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physiology University of Toronto (1996 – 2000)
(Fellowships of Medical Research Council of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada)
Awards
1. NARSAD Essel Investigator, 2006
2. New Investigator Award, 2002 Canadian Institutes of Health Research
3. New Investigator Award, 2002 Heart and Stroke Foundation (declined)
4. The Henry J.M. Barnett Research Scholarship Award, 2002 Heart and Stroke Foundation (declined).
5. Research Fellowship, 2000 Canadian Institutes of Health Research
6. Research Fellowship, 1999 Medical Research Council of Canada, (MRC, Declined).
7. Research Fellowship, 1999 Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC)
8. Stroke Investigator Award, 1998 Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario
9. Research Fellowship, 1996 NCE (Neuroscience).
Publications
1. Wei-Yang Lu and Mark Inman. GABA Nurtures Allergic Asthma. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 2009, 39: 956–961
2. Amy P Wong, Armand Keating, Wei-Yang Lu, Pascal Duchesneau, Xinghua Wang, Adrian Sacher, Jim Hu, Barry R Stripp, Thomas K Waddell. Identification of a novel epithelial-like bone marrow cell population that can repopulate the airway epithelium. Journal of Clinical Investigation 2009 Feb;119 (2):336-48.
3. Yun-Yan Xiang, Shuhe Wang, Mingyao Liu, Jeremy A Hirota, Jingxin Li, William Ju Yijun Fan, Margaret M Kelly, Bin Ye, Beverley Orser, Paul M O’Byrne, Mark D Inman, Xi Yang and Wei-Yang Lu. A GABAergic system in airway epithelium is essential for mucus overproduction in asthma. Nature Medicine 2007; 13: 862 – 867.
4 Yun-Yan Xiang, Haiheng Dong, Yudi Wan, Jingxin Li; Albert Yee, Burton B. Yang and Wei-Yang Lu. Versican G3 domain regulates neurite growth and synaptic transmission of hippocampal neurons by activation of epidermal growth factor receptor. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2006; 281:19358-19368.
Contact Information
7th floor of Robarts Research Institute
100 Perth Drive
London, ON N6A 5K8
E-mail: wlu53@uwo.ca