To strengthen academic communication among faculty members, the 10th session of the Academic Salon of the School of Life Sciences was successfully held in Conference Room 822 of the Teaching Main Building on the afternoon of November 23. Dr. Gao Jin delivered an academic lecture for graduate supervisors and frontline teachers of the school. With the theme of “Study on the Protective Effect of Transcription Factor SIX2 on Dopaminergic Neurons in Parkinson’s Disease”, the report mainly introduced major research achievements in the field of dopaminergic neuron protection in recent years. The main pathological feature of Parkinson’s disease is the progressive degeneration and death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the midbrain, which leads to motor and non-motor symptoms. To date, pharmaceutical and surgical treatments only produce temporary therapeutic effects with obvious side effects and fail to delay or inhibit the progressive death of neurons.
After the report, Dr. Gao Jin conducted in-depth discussions with participating teachers on a series of scientific issues, including the etiology and treatment prospects of Parkinson’s disease, microglial polarization responses, energy shuttling between neurons and glucose metabolism, as well as the developmental and adult functions of SIX2. The activity fostered a sound academic and research atmosphere within the school.
