Professional Preparation
Ph.D. - Molecular Pathology-Lipid Sciences
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
M.S. - Occupational Health and Toxicology
Fudan University
B.S - Preventive Medicine
Fudan University
Research Areas
Our long-term research interest is to identify critical mediators and important pathways that contribute to the development of advanced liver damage (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and associated metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance and chronic inflammation.
Publications
TLR4 signaling selectively and directly promotes CGRP release from vagal afferents in the mouse
2020 -
publication
Hepatocyte TLR4 Deficiency Protects Against Alcohol-induced Fatty Liver Disease 2018 -
publications
Short-Term Versus Long-Term Effects of Adipocyte Toll-Like Receptor 4 Activation on Insulin Resistance in Male Mice
2017 -
publications
Hepatocyte Toll-like Receptor 4 Regulates Obesity-Induced Inflammation and Insulin Resistance. 2014 -
publications
PPARγ in Vagal Sensory Neurons Regulates Energy Balance. 2014 -
publications
Inhibiting DNA Methylation by 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine ameliorates atherosclerosis through suppressing macrophage inflammation. 2014 -
publications
Ezetimibe Inhibits Hepatic Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 to Facilitate Macrophage Reverse Cholesterol Transport in Mice. 2013 -
publications
Ezetimibe restores biliary cholesterol excretion in mice expressing Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 only in liver. 2011 -
publications
Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) Protein in Intestinal and Hepatic Cholesterol Transport. 2011 -
publications
Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 deletion in mice prevents high fat diet-induced fatty liver by reducing lipogenesis. 2010 -
publications
Appointments
Instructor
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas [2017–2020]
Projects
Alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD)
Alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD) is one of the major causes of chronic liver disease and has become a serious health problem worldwide. Currently, we are interested in exploring the following aspects: 1) the tissue-specific role of de novo lipogenesis; 2) the role of gut-liver axis; 3) the involvement of lipolysis controlled by sympathetic nervous system and 4) dietary factors.
Obesity-associated fatty liver disease and insulin resistance
My previous work has demonstrated that hepatocyte toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays critical roles in regulating obesity-associated inflammation, insulin resistance and fatty liver disease. I have generated and characterized two novel mouse models, which allows deletion and re-expression of TLR4 in a tissue-specific manner. These valuable tools will be used to evaluate the contribution of vagal afferent TLR4 in obesity-induced impairments in liver function and glucose homeostasis.
Funding
Role of Hepatocyte TLR4 in Alcohol-Induced Steatohepatitis and Insulin Resistance
- NIH/NIAAA []
K01 (Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award)