Luweiwei Associate professor

Ph.D., in Pathobiology, 2010.09-2015.07

School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.

Dissertation Thesis: The role and protective mechanism of intermedin in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Mentor: Dr. Yongfen Qi

B.A., in Nursing, 2005.09-2010.07

School of Nursing, China Medical University, Shenyang, China

Associate Professor,2020.09 to now

Department of Physiology and Neurobiology in Soochow University

Post-Doc Scholar, 2017.06 to 2019.06

Department of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.

Mentor: Dr. Changcheng Zhou

Assistant professor, 2015.09 to 2020.08.

Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.

I am now an associate professor of the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology in Soochow University. I graduated from China Medical University in July, 2010, and obtained my Ph.D. degree in Pathobiology in July, 2015, from Peking University Health Science Center, China. After achieving my PhD degree, I became a teacher in Department of Physiology in Xuzhou Medical University. During this period,  I went on my research  as a postdoctoral scholar in University of Kentucky. 

My research mainly focuses on the protective mechanisms of bioactive peptides in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, such as abdominal aortic aneurysms, cardiac hypertrophy, vascular calcification and atherosclerosis. Besides, my research interest also includes the  role of IKKβ, a central coordinator of inflammatory responses through activation of a potent transcriptional activator nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), in regulating the inflammation, cell growth/survival, and differentiation of fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells and adipocytes in the pathogenesis of cardiac remodelling, atherosclerosis and aortic dissection and aneurysms.  I has successfully gotten funding from the National Natural Science Foundation-Youth Foundation of China in 2016, on the mechanism of ghrelin inhibition of cardiac hypertrophy via regulation of autophagy

1. Studying and understanding the role of IKKβ, a central coordinator of inflammatory responses through activation of a potent transcriptional activator nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), in regulating the inflammation, cell growth/survival, and differentiation of fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells and adipocytes in the pathogenesis of cardiac remodelling, atherosclerosis and aortic dissection and aneurysms.

2. Intramolecular regulation and intermolecular network regulation of bioactive peptides especially the intracellular signal transduction mechanism during the process of cardiovascular diseases such as abdominal aortic aneurysms, cardiac hypertrophy, vascular calcification and atherosclerosis.

3. The role of renin angiotensin system, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.

《Medical Physiology》，《Human Anatomy & Physiology》，《Neurobiology》

1. The mechanism of ghrelin inhibition of cardiac hypertrophy via regulation of autophagy, National Natural Science Foundation-Youth Foundation of China (NO.81600210), 2017.01-2019.12

1.         Lu WW, Park SH, Meng ZJ, Wang F, Zhou CC. Deficiency of Adipocyte IKKβ Affects Atherosclerotic Plaque Vulnerability in Obese LDLR Deficient Mice. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019; 8(12): e012009.

2.         Lu WW, Jia LX, Ni XQ, Zhao L,Chang JR, Zhang JX, Hou YL, Zhu Y, Guan YF,Yu YR,Du J,Tang CS, Qi YF. Intermedin_1-53 attenuates abdominal aortic aneurysm by inhibiting oxidative stress. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2016; 36(11): 2176-2190.

3.         Lu WW, Zhao L, Zhang JS, Hou YL, Yu YR, Jia MZ, Tang CS, Qi YF. Intermedin_1-53 protects against cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress via activating AMP- activated protein kinase. J Hypertens. 2015; 33(8): 1676-87.

4.         Lu WW, Cai HQ, Chen Y, Liao X, Zhang LS, Ma TT, Sun H, Qi YF. Ghrelin inhibited pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy by promoting autophagy via camkk/ampk signaling pathway. Peptides. 2020; 136 :170446.

5.         Lu WW, Qi YF. Endoplasmic reticulum stress and injured vascular diseases. Chin J Arterioscler. 2012; 20(10): 939-944

6.         LuWW, QiYF.Cardiovascular effects and pathophysiological significance of adrenomedullin family peptides. Sheng Li Ke Xue Jin Zhan. 2013; 44(3): 177-82.

7.         Sui YP, Meng ZJ, Park SH, Lu WW, Livelo C, Chen Q, Zhou T, Zhou CC. Myeloid-specific deficiency of pregnane x receptor decreases atherosclerosis in ldl receptor-deficient mice. Journal of lipid research. 2020;61:696-706.

8.         Ni XQ, Lu WW, Zhang JS, Zhu Q, Ren JL, Yu YR, Liu XY, Wang XJ, Han M, Jing Q, Du J, Tang CS, Qi YF. Inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress by intermedin1-53 attenuates angiotensin II-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm in ApoE KO Mice. Endocrine. 2018; 62(1): 90-106.

9.         Wang F, Liu Z, Park SH, Gwag T, Lu W, Ma M, Sui Y, Zhou C.Myeloid β-Catenin Deficiency Exacerbates Atherosclerosis in Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Deficient Mice.Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2018; 38(7):1468-1478.

10.     Shi YC, Lu WW, Hou YL, Fu K, Gan F, Liu JH. Fibroblast growth factor 21 ameliorates vascular calcification by inhibiting osteogenic transition in vitamin D3 plus nicotine-treated rats. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 2018; 495(4): 2448-2455.

11.     Zhu Q, Ni XQ, Lu WW, Zhang JS, Ren JL, Wu D, Chen Y, Zhang LS, Yu YR, Tang CS, Qi YF. Intermedin reduces neointima formation by regulating vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype via cAMP/PKA pathway. Atherosclerosis. 2017; 266: 212-222. 

12.     Shi YC, Lu WW, Hou YL, Fu K, Gan F, Cheng SJ, Wang SP, Qi YF, Liu JH. Protection Effect of Exogenous Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 on the Kidney Injury in Vascular Calcification Rats. Chin Med J (Engl). 2018; 131(5): 532-538.

13.     Lin F, Liao C, Sun Y, Zhang J, Lu W, Bai Y, Liao Y, Li M, Ni X, Hou Y, Qi Y, Chen Y.Hydrogen Sulfide Inhibits Cigarette Smoke-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Apoptosis in Bronchial Epithelial Cells.Front Pharmacol. 2017; 8:675.

14.     Fang SJ, Li PY, Wang CM, Xin Y, Lu WW, Zhang XX, Zuo S, Ma CS, Tang CS, Nie SP, Qi YF. Inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress by neuregulin-1 protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Peptides. 2017; 88: 196-207.

15.     Chang JR, Guo J, Wang Y, Hou YL, Lu WW, Zhang JS, Yu YR, Xu MJ, Liu XY,Wang XJ, Guan YF, Zhu Y, Du J, Tang CS, Qi YF. Intermedin_1-53 attenuates vascular calcification in rats with chronic kidney disease by upregulation of α-Klotho. Kidney Int. 2016; 89(3):586-600.

16.     Zhang JS, Hou YL, Lu WW, Ni XQ, Lin F, Yu YR, Tang CS, Qi YF. Intermedin_1-53 protects against myocardial fibrosis by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation induced by homocysteine in Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. J Atheroscler Thromb. 2016; 23(11): 1294-1306.

17.     Wu X, Qi YF, Chang JR, Lu WW, Zhang JS, Wang SP, Cheng SJ, Zhang M, Fan Q, Lv Y, Zhu H, Xin MK, Lv Y, Liu JH. Possible role of fibroblast growth factor 21 on atherosclerosis via amelioration of endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis in apoE-/- mice. Heart Vessels. 2015; 30(5): 657-68.

18.     Hou YL, Lu WW, Zhang JS, Ni XQ, YuYR, Tang CS, Qi YF. Homocysteine exacerbates rat vascular smooth muscle cells calcification by activating endoplasmic reticulum stress. Chin J Arterioscler.2015: 23(2): 437-442.

19.     Yu YR, Deng MJ, Lu WW, Zhang JS, Jia MZ, Huang J, Qi YF. Endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis is activated in intestines of mice with Trichinella spiralis infection. Exp Parasitol. 2014; 145: 1-6.

20.     Yu YR, Deng MJ, Lu WW, Jia MZ, Wu W, Qi YF. Systemic cytokine profiles and splenic toll-like receptor expression during Trichinella spiralis infection. Exp Parasitol. 2013; 134(1): 92-101.

《Study Outline and Review Problem of Human Physiology》，Higher Education Press, August 2016

2019  Second prize and Best Student Popularity Award in the 5th Teachers' All-English Teaching Competition of Xuzhou Medical University

2016  Excellent teaching award first prize of Xuzhou Medical University

2014  Excellent Students Award of Peking University 

Students who are interested in the role of bioactive peptides or NF-kB and nuclear receptor signaling in the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic disease including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and nervous system diseases as well, are welcom to join our lab.