Hypothalamic Neuron-Glia Interaction
I have developed research programs at the interface of neuroimmunology and neuroendocrinology to uncover how hypothalamic neuron-glia interactions shape body weight regulation and metabolic disease. Our laboratory investigates how neurons and glial cells in the hypothalamus interact to regulate body weight, food intake, and metabolic health, with a focus on intercellular communication, intracellular metabolism, and organelle dynamics.
A major emphasis of our work is the role of microglia as immune and metabolic regulators within the hypothalamic microenvironment. We study how neuronal activity and neurotransmission shape microglial function, including phagocytosis and inflammatory signalling, and how neuroimmunological adaptations following weight loss interventions drive body weight regain.
To bridge basic mechanisms with human disease, we analyse postmortem hypothalamic tissue from individuals with obesity, diabetes, and Prader-Willi Syndrome, and assess brain function in living patients using advanced imaging approaches such as MRI and PET.
We collaborate closely with pharmaceutical industry partners to translate these discoveries into novel anti-obesity therapeutics. These efforts focus on first-in-class strategies targeting hypothalamic neuron-glia interactions and neuroimmune pathways to develop mechanism-based, disease-modifying treatments.
Our long-term goal is to identify therapeutic targets in hypothalamic neurons and glial cells that restore central energy balance and enable durable treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Copyright All Reserved by Chun-Xia Yi