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Sheng LI |
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Ph.D., Associate Professor, Group Leader
B.S. (1986-1991) Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University
M.S. (1993-19961) Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, CAS
Ph.D. (1996-1999) Shanghai Brain Institute, CAS
Post-doc (1999-2004) University of Michigan, USA
Email: sli01@sibs.ac.cn |
INTRODUCTION:
The Nutrigenomics Team, co-established by the Bio-X Center and the Shanghai Institute for Nutritional Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is dedicated to promoting the new area of nutritional genomics or "nutrigenomics", including cutting-edge research in the fields of nutrition, genomics, and health in China. Studies focus on the combination of basic and clinical research to assure the prevention of diseases related to nutrition and environment, and, in particular, on improving the health of the Chinese people.
Mental retardation, iodine deficiency and genes
The team has collaborated with Northwest University since 1996 to investigate the effect of iodine deficiency on human mental retardation. The study recruited a large sample of patients with fetal iodine deficiency disorder from the Qingba mountain region, including Ningqiang County and Zhashui County in the south of Shan'xi Province and Fang County in the northwest of Hubei Province. The team found for the first time that ε4 allele of Apolipoprotein gene was a risk factor for dementia due to embryonic iodine deficiency. Further collaboration with Northwest University has confirmed the findings.
The DIO2 (Diodinase type 2) gene was also found to be a risk factor for mental retardation caused by iodine deficiency. Nutrition, metabolism and genes
The work in this field involved the recruitment of samples from isolated populations in Jing County, Chaji, Jiangchun, and Yunti in Anhui Province and Exi and Tongdao of Hunan Province. The subjects were given regular clinical tests to investigate candidate genes. Alzheimer's disease and lipid metabolism
A technical platform for lipid 'metabonomics' has been established, forming the basis for large projects in the field of nutritional metabonomics. Food safety study
A mouse model of long-term vitamin A deficiency has been established to observe its molecular and biochemical effects on physiology and pathology.
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