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SCM held a seminar entitled “Pathogenesis and Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease” by Professor Ye Keqiang from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology on 14 August. The seminar centered on the pivotal role of C/EBPb/AEP signaling in the onset and progression of both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).

Professor Ye's research has revealed that a protease, asparagine endopeptidase (AEP), cleaves amyloid precursor protein (APP) and mediates tau fragmentations in a way that leads to the formation of harmful aggregates in the brain, contributing to the neurodegeneration and cognitive symptoms observed in AD patients. His lab has also identified some small molecular AEP inhibitors that display great therapeutic potential towards AD. For PD, his group has recently generated a specific marker, α-synuclein tag, that can serve as an early diagnostic tool and is currently being validated in clinical studies.

Professor Ye's discovery of AEP helps researchers better understand how abnormal protein aggregation contributes to the development of AD and PD, representing a potential target for therapeutic interventions. AEP may also serve as a biomarker for disease diagnosis and progression monitoring. Overall, Professor Ye's findings underscore the potential of AEP enzyme as a key factor in the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, comprehending our understanding of the pathological features seen in AD and PD.

A world-renowned neuroscientist in the neurodegenerative disease and drug development field, Professor Ye is currently the Chair Professor and Chair of Department of Biology, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

SCM is committed to bringing in top-tier researchers like Professor Ye to advance our understanding of complex diseases and fostering innovative medical solutions.