Junfa Li, Ph.D., Professor of Neurobiology, is the Executive-vice Chairman of Department of Neurobiology, Capital Medical University; and the Principal Investigator (PI) of Stroke Research Laboratory, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders.
[Education & Professional Training] Dr. Li got his Bachelor's degree of Medicine from Capital Medical University, PR China (9/1981-8/1986); Master’s degree of Physiology from Peking Union Medical College, PR China (9/1989-7/1992); Ph.D. of Neurobiology from Capital Medical University, PR China (8/2003-6/2006). As a Visiting Fellow, he also finished his 5-years Postdoctoral Training in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA (2/1996-2/2001).
[Academic Service] Dr. Li is General Secretary, Beijing Association for Physiological Sciences; Council member, Chinese Association for Physiological Sciences (CAPS); Associate Editor-in-Chief, CAPS News Communication; Executive Editor, Basic Medicine and Clinics; and Scientific Editor, Chinese Journal for Eyeground Disease.
[Research Interest and Achievement] Dr. Li’s main research interests are involved in protein modification, signal transduction, and now mainly focused on the molecular mechanism underlying cerebral ischemia/hypoxia-induced neuronal injuries and preconditioning, including the differential activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated signaling pathways, the protein kinase C (PKC) isoform-specific activation, and identifications of PKC-isoform specific interacting proteins and differentially expressed microRNAs during the cerebral ischemic/hypoxic preconditioning (I/HPC) development. I/HPC is an endogenous strategy in which sublethal ischemia/hypoxia exposure protects brain against severe ischemic/hypoxic injuries subsequently. This phenomenon provides an useful clue for developing new medicine to treat cerebal ischemic/hypoxic injuries such as stroke clinically. As a principal investigator, Dr. Li has been supported by over 24 funding projects for talented person and scientific grants, including 8 grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China, and published 71 peer-reviewed scientific articles in SCI Journals.
Selected Publications
[1]    Yang X, Zhang X, Li Y, Han S, Howells DW, Li S, Li J, cPKCβ-mediated phosphorylation inhibits CRMP2 proteolysis and alleviates ischemic injury in cultured cortical neurons and ischemic stroke-induced mice, Journal of Neurochemistry, 2016, 137: 446-459.
[2]    Wang P, Zhang N, Liang J, Li J, Han S, Li J, Micro-RNA-30a Regulates Ischemia- Induced Cell Death by Targeting Heat Shock Protein HSPA5 in Primary Cultured Cortical Neurons and Mouse Brain After Stroke. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 2015, 93: 1756-1768.
[3]    Chi W, Meng F, Li Y, Li P, Wang Q, Wang G, Han S, Li J, Downregulation of miRNA-134 protects neural cells against ischemic injury in N2A cells and mouse brain with ischemic stroke by targeting HSPA12B. Neuroscience, 2014, 277: 111-122.
[4]    Feng S, Li D, Li Y, Yang X, Han S, Li J, Insight into hypoxic preconditioning and ischemic injury through determination of nPKCε-interacting proteins in mouse brain. Neurochemistry International. 2013, 63(2): 69-79.
[5]    Zhao L, Liu X, Liang J, Han S, Wang Y, Yin Y, Luo Y, Li J, Phosphorylation of p38 MAPK mediates hypoxic preconditioning-induced neuroprotection against cerebral ischemic injury via mitochondria translocation of Bcl-xL in mice. Brain Research, 2013, 1503: 78-88.