Dr. Li Zhang is currently an associate professor in GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration (GHMICR). After obtaining BSc degree in Biological Science (1st class honor) in 2009, and PhD degree in 2014 from School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, he joined GHMICR in 2014. His group focuses on central motor system and mental health, covering disciplines including neuropathology of motor regions, co-morbid between mood disorders and motor deficits, plus the intervention of psychiatric diseases by physical exercise. He has published 11 peer-reviewed research articles since 2014 and was nominated as Distinguished Young Investigator Fellow of Jinan University in 2016.
1. 2019 Exercise training improves motor skill learning via selective activation of mTOR. Chen K, Zheng Y, Wei J, Ouyang H, Huang X, Zhang F, Lai CSW, Ren C, So KF* and Zhang L*. Science Advances. 5(7): eaaw1888. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw1888 (IF=12.8)
2. 2019 Activation of cortical somatostatin interneurons rescues synapse loss and motor deficits after acute MPTP infusion. Chen K, Yang G*, So KF*and Zhang L*. iScience. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.06.040
3. 2019 Corticosterone-mediated microglia activation affects dendritic spine plasticity and motor learning functions in minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Sun X, Han R, Cheng T, Zheng Y, Xiao J, So KF* and Zhang L*. Brain Behavior and Immunity. 82:178-187. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.08.184 (IF=6.2)
4. 2017 Treadmill exercise suppressed stress-induced dendritic spine elimination in mouse barrel cortex and improved working memory via BDNF/TrkB pathway. Chen K#, Zhang L#, Tan M, Lai CSW, Li A, Ren C* and So KF*. Translational Psychiatry. 7(3):e1069. doi: 10.1038/tp.2017.41. (IF=4.7)
5. 2014 The knockout of secretin in cerebellar Purkinje cells impairs mouse motor coordination and motor learning. Zhang L, Chung SK and Chow BKC*. Neuropsychopharmacology. 39(6):1460-8. doi: 10.1038/npp.2013.344. (IF=8.7)
