Professor Keqiang Yeisthe chair professor andthe dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (SUAT). He is a National Distinguished Expert, Changjiang (Yangtze River) Scholar Chair professor, and previously served as a tenured professor at Emory University in the US. He is also a leading scientist in neurodegenerative disease mechanisms, early diagnosis, and therapeutic development.He specializes in small-molecule compound-based drug discovery. His work has recieved over 250 million RMB in funding from major institutions including the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission, U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the American Cancer Society/Foundation.

Professor Ye has published 279 papers, 74ofwhich were publishedin high-impact journals such asNature(2 papers) andCell(3 papers), with an h-index of 80 and over 23,734 citations. He holds 21 granted international invention patents (out of 25 applications), several of which have been licensed and commercialized by global companies. His novel small-molecule drug for Alzheimer’s disease, BrAD-R13, has received clinical trial approval from both the U.S. FDA and China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA/CDE).

Notably, he pioneered the development of α-synuclein tracers to address the global challenge of PET imaging diagnosis for Parkinson’s disease. He also stablished the groundbreaking theory that postmenopausal elevation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in women activates the C/EBPβ/AEP pathway, increasingthesusceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease.

1.The molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, early diagnosis and drug discovery

2.Neurotrophin signalings in neuronal cell survival and drug discovery in neuroprotection

CURRENT TITLES AND AFFILIATIONS:

Academic Appointments:

09/2021-Present

Endowed Chair Professor and Department Chair

Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology

Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

PREVIOUS ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS:

Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and LaboratoryMedicine

09/2010-08/2021- Tenured Full Professor

09/2007-08/2010 - Tenured Associate Professor

11/2001-08/2007 - Assistant Professor

EDUCATION:

1986-1990 B.S. in Chemistry

Jilin University, Changchun, China

1990-1993 M.S. in Chemistry

Peking University, Beijing, China

1993-1998 Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322

Mentor: Harish C. Joshi, Ph.D.

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING:

1998-2001 Postdoctoral Fellow,Department of Neuroscience

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205

Mentor: Solomon H. Snyder, MD

Selected publications

1.Chen G, Wang M, Zhang Z, Hong DK, Ahn EH, Liu X, Kang SS,Ye K. ApoE3 R136S binds to Tau and blocks its propagation, suppressing neurodegeneration in mice with Alzheimer's disease.Neuron. 2025 Jan 7:S0896-6273(24)00914-0. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.12.015. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39814008.

2.Xiang J, Tang J, Kang F, Ye J, Cui Y, Zhang Z, Wang J, Wu S,Ye K.Gut-induced alpha-Synuclein and Tau propagation initiate Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease co-pathology and behavior impairments.Neuron. 2024 Aug 30:S0896-6273(24)00576-2. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.08.003. Online ahead of print.PMID:39241780

3.Qian Z, Wang Z, Li B, Meng X, Kuang Z, Li Y, Yang Y,Ye K.Thy1-ApoE4/C/EBPβdouble transgenic mice act as a sporadic model with Alzheimer's disease.Mol Psychiatry.2024 Apr 24. doi: 10.1038/s41380-024-02565-x. Online ahead of print.PMID:38658772

4.Qian Z, Li B, Meng X, Liao J, Wang G, Li Y, Luo Q,Ye K.Inhibition of asparagine endopeptidase (AEP) effectively treats sporadic Alzheimer's disease in mice.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2024 Feb;49(3):620-630. doi: 10.1038/s41386-023-01774-2. Epub 2023 Nov 29. PMID: 38030711; PMCID: PMC10789813.

5.Xiong J, Kang SS, Wang M, Wang Z, Xia Y, Liao J, Liu X, Yu SP, Zhang Z, Ryu V, Yuen T, Zaidi M,Ye K.FSH and ApoE4 contribute to Alzheimer's disease-like pathogenesis via C/EBPβ/δ-secretase in female mice.Nat Commun.2023 Oct 18;14(1):6577. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-42282-7.PMID:37852961

6.Xiang J, Tao Y, Xia Y, Luo S, Zhao Q, Li B, Zhang X, Sun Y, Xia W, Zhang M, Kang SS, Ahn EH, Liu X, Xie F, Guan Y, Yang JJ, Bu L, Wu S, Wang X, Cao X, Liu C, Zhang Z, Li D,Ye K.Development of anα-synuclein positron emission tomography tracer for imaging synucleinopathies.Cell. 2023186 (16) 3350-3367. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.06.004. Online ahead of print.PMID:37421950

7.Xia Y, Xiao Y, Wang ZH, Liu X, Alam AM, Haran JP, McCormick BA, Shu X, Wang X,Ye K.Bacteroides Fragilis in the gut microbiomes of Alzheimer's disease activates microglia and triggers pathogenesis in neuronal C/EBPβtransgenic mice.Nat Commun.2023 Sep 6;14(1):5471. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-41283-w.PMID: 37673907

8.Xiong J; Liao J; Liu X; Zhang Z; Adams J; Pacifici R;Ye, K. A TrkB agonist prodrug prevents bone loss via inhibiting asparagine endopeptidase and increasing osteoprotegerin.Nat Commun. 2022 Aug 16;13(1):4820. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-32435-5.

9.Liu P;Wang ZH;Kang SS;Liu X;Xia Y;Chan CB;Ye, K.High-fat diet-induced diabetes couples to Alzheimer's disease through inflammation-activated C/EBPβ/AEP pathway.Mol Psychiatry. 2022 May 11. doi: 10.1038/s41380-022-01600-z.

10.Xiong J;Kang SS;Wang Z;Liu X;Kuo TC;Korkmaz F;Padilla A;Miyashita S;Chan P;Zhang Z;Katsel P;Burgess J;Gumerova A;Ievleva K;Sant D;Yu SP;Muradova V;Frolinger T;Lizneva D;Iqbal J;Goosens KA;Gera S;Rosen CJ;Haroutunian V;Ryu V;Yuen T;Zaidi M;Ye, K. FSH blockade improves cognition in mice with Alzheimer's disease.Nature. 2022 Mar.603(7901):470-476. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04463-0. Epub 2022 Mar 2.

Scientific research project (optional)

1.PI, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)

Foreign Scholar Research Fund Project,82350710222,

“Synergistic Effects of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and ApoE4 in Triggering Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease in Females”

January, 2024 – December, 2025  ￥1,600,000

2.PI, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)

Key Program Project,32330040,

“Mechanisms of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease and Intervention Strategies”

January, 2024 – December, 2028  ￥2,180,000

3.PI, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)

Major Program Project (Subproject 1),82394431,

“Development of Radiopharmaceuticals for Visualization of Key Molecular Targets in Neurodegenerative Diseases”

January, 2024 – December, 2028  ￥3,710,000

4.Participant, National Health Commission’s Science and Technology Development Center for Medical and Health

Subproject 1 of "Technological Responses to Active Health and Population Aging",2023YFC3605401,

“Early Blood Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease and Key Technical Methods for Detection”

January, 2024 – December, 2025  ￥1,600,000

5.Participant, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)

Mathematics Tianyuan Fund Project,12326607,

“Fundamental Models and Systems for Intelligent Diagnosis-Treatment Integration Based on Nuclear Medical Imaging Analysis/Interpretation”

January, 2024 – December, 2026  ￥400,000

6.Participant, Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation

Key Project of Regional Joint Fund,2023B1515120007,

“Multimodal Intelligent Imaging and Early Biomarker Research for Alzheimer’s Disease”

November, 2023 – October, 2026  ￥1,000,000

7.Participant, Chinese Academy of Sciences

National Key Laboratory,E3G4001024,

“Development and Application of Molecular and Imaging-Based Early Precision Diagnostic Methods for Parkinson’s Disease”

November, 2023 – October, 2025  ￥600,000

8.PI, Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission

Shenzhen High-Level Talent Team Project,KQTD20221101093608028,

“Development of Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease Models and Comorbid Depression Research”

October, 2023 – October, 2028  ￥15,000,000

9.PI, Shenzhen Medical Academy ofResearch and Translation (SMART)

Shenzhen Medical Research Special Fund Project,B2404001,

“Pathogenesis and Clinical Research on Parkinson’s Disease”

January, 2025 – December, 2029  ￥14,190,000

Awards (optional)

1.First Prize, Young Scientist Award in Science, United States (2003)

2.Distinguished Young Scientist Award, The Sontag Foundation (2003-2006)

3.American Cancer Society Scholar (2004)

4.Nominee, Keck Foundation Award (2004)

5.National First Prize, Outstanding Cancer Research Scholar Award, United States (2004)

6.Cheung Kong Scholar Distinguished Professor (Visiting), Ministry of Education of China (2011)

7.Changjiang (Yangtze River) Scholar Chair professor, HUST, Wuhan (2013)

8.2017: National High-Level Talent Recruitment Program (Innovation Long-Term Project, 13th Batch), Ministry of Science and Technology of China.

9.The National distinguished expert, Tongji University (2017)

10.Continuously listed in the World's Top 2% Most-Cited Scientists (jointly released by Stanford University and Elsevier), and ranked in the Career-Long Scientific Impact List since 2023 (2021–2024)

11.Shenzhen Overseas High-Level Talent (Category A), Shenzhen Municipal Government (2021)

12.Named "Top Tech Visionary of Shenzhen 2022" by Shenzhen Economic Daily &Duchuang

13.Recognized as "2022 Highly Cited Chinese Researcher" by Elsevier.

14.SIAT Dean's Award for Annual Scientific Breakthrough, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences & Shenzhen University of Technology (2022)

15.Leader of Shenzhen High-Level Talent Team Project, Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission (2023)

16.Research Contribution Award 2024, Shenzhen University of Technology.

Other Notable Achievements (optional)