Prof. Yong Shen
University of Science and Technology of China

Dr. SHEN Yong received his Ph.D. in Psychobiology and Neuroscience from State University of New York (1989). He did his postdoctoral studies in a join program of molecular neurobiology of Schizophrenia at National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and John Hopkins University Medical School (1989-1990). He then moved to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) where he performed molecular cloning pharmacology and discovered new dopamine receptor (D1B or D5 receptor) and two novel serotonin receptors (5-HT6 and 5-HT7). In 1993, Dr. Shen was invited to join Abbott Laboratories as Senior Molecular Neuropharmacologist and later a group leader in Abbott Labs where he helped to initiate project on neuroimmunology of Alzheimer’s disease and coordinated the drug discovery efforts on neurodegenerative disorders. In 1997, Dr. Shen joined Sun Health Research Institute and took the leadership of the Roberts Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research as an endowed Chief and Senior Scientist (tenured full-professorship). Later in 2010, he became the Director for Robert Haldeman Laboratory of Molecular Cellular Neurobiology. In 2010, Dr. Shen was invited to join the Roskamp Institute as senior Scientist and Director of Center for Advanced Therapeutic Strategies for Brain Disorders (CATSBD) as well as Professor of Neurology from University of Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Shen has received a numerous of honors and awards, including Magnus Rudolf Dutch Young Scientist Award from Royal Academy of Sciences of Netherlands, Zenith award in Alzheimer’s Disease and Outstanding Contributor for Alzheimer’s Research from USA, Chang-Jiang Lecture Professor Award and Thousand Talent Scholar from China etc. After Dr. Shen returned to China in 2014, he took a a position of professorship in neurobiology in University of Science and Technology of China and established the Brain Bank and Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center (NDRC), which has made strong commitment in combining basic research on mechanisms of brain functions and related disorders, developing strong neurodegenerative multidisciplinary research programs with cutting-edge knowledge and skills. In 2017, Dr. Shen took the leadership as the Director for the Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders at the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China.

Research Interest

Help bring the discoveries of the laboratory to clinical applications, offering a unique training ground for pre- or/and medical students and post-doctoral/medical fellows.

● Elucidation of new molecular pathways of neurodegeneration and neuron survival and discovery of novel therapies.
● Molecular dissection of inflammatory elements that affect neurodegeneration or survival.       
● Identification of biomarkers for early diagnosis of the brain disorders, especially Alzheimer’s disease and related cerebral small vessel diseases and monitoring efficacy of the clinical trials.   
● Development of new technologies, including single cell sequencing and mass spectrometry, for identification of new genes and proteins for the brain disorders.         
 ● Developing new bio-assay systems to effectively screen potential drugs, including small molecule chemical compounds as well as herbal medicines.