The long-term goal of the Li Lab is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neuronal and glial signaling and how these processes integrate within neural circuits to support cognition and behavior. We investigate how coordinated interactions among multiple brain circuits maintain homeostasis and how disruptions in specific cellular populations drive the pathophysiological progression of brain disorders. Our research focuses on Rett syndrome (RTT), a rare autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that primarily affects females and is characterized by motor abnormalities and social deficits. RTT is caused by mutations in the Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene, and we use multiple MECP2-deficient animal models to study disease mechanisms. To address questions spanning molecular to network levels, our lab integrates ex vivo and in vivo electrophysiology, calcium imaging and biosensor approaches, optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulations in brain slices and freely moving animals, and comprehensive behavioral analyses. Ultimately, our goal is to define mechanisms of network dysfunction in ASD models and translate these findings into therapeutic strategies.
Dr. Wei Li received his early medical and scientific training at Wenzhou Medical College in China, followed by a Master of Science degree from Zhejiang University. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of South Dakota, where his doctoral research focused on synaptic plasticity and the molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory. Following his doctoral training, Dr. Li completed postdoctoral training in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the laboratory of Dr. Lucas Pozzo-Miller. During this period, he developed extensive expertise in electrophysiology, synaptic signaling, neurotrophic factor biology, and animal models of neurodevelopmental disorders. He subsequently continued at UAB as an Assistant Professor, further expanding his independent research program. Dr. Li is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development at Michigan State University, where his research focuses on molecular, cellular, and circuit mechanisms underlying Rett syndrome and autism spectrum disorders.
Dr. Li contributes to graduate-level neuroscience education through course instruction and mentorship, with a focus on rigorous scientific reasoning and hands-on training in modern neuroscience approaches.
Active: R01-NS121542
Completed: R21-NS097913
Completed: R21-NS108508
Completed: R21-NS120315
Li C, Saliba NB, Martin H, Losurdo NA, Kolahdouzan K, Siddiqui R, Medeiros D, Li W. Purkinje cell dopaminergic inputs to astrocytes regulate cerebellar-dependent behavior. Nat Commun, 14:1613, 2023.
Li W. Excitation and inhibition imbalance in Rett Syndrome. Front Neurosci, 16:1-16, 2022.
Li W*, Pozzo-Miller L. Differences in GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors result in opposite long-term plasticity at ipsilateral vs. contralateral cortico-striatal synapses. eNeuro 6, 2019. *Corresponding Author. Featured Article.
Li W, Xin X, Pozzo-Miller L. Excitatory synapses are stronger in the hippocampus of Rett syndrome mice due to altered synaptic AMPAR trafficking. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 113: E1575-1584, 2016.
Li W, Calfa G, Larimore J, Pozzo-Miller L. Activity-dependent BDNF release and TRPC signaling is impaired in hippocampal Neurons of Mecp2 mutant mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109:17087-17092, 2012.
Dr. Li serves as an ad hoc reviewer for major national and international funding agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and multiple international research foundations. He is also an active manuscript reviewer and editorial board member for numerous high-impact, peer-reviewed journals in neuroscience and biomedical research. His editorial service includes associate and reviewer editor roles, and he regularly evaluates manuscripts spanning basic, translational, and clinical neuroscience.