Dr Luan is the postdoctoral fellow of Neurodegenerative Pathobiology laboratory in Queensland Brain Institute. Dr Luan's research aims to understand the molecular and cellular mechanism for human neurodegenerative diseases, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD). His research focuses on the cellular stress responses and novel biochemical pathways in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Dr Luan will use biochemical, immunohistochemistry and AAVs techniques in a well-established pre-clinical transgenic mouse model. His goal is to discover new potential therapeutic targets in order to help patients who suffer these diseases.
Dr Luan is an enthusiastic neuroscientist at Queensland Brain Institute.Dr Luan's research covers a unique range of human neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. His previous research in rodent models provides first-hand in vivo evidence that vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy significantly disrupts the neurodevelopment of dopamine neurons, essential to the normal brain and involved in a variety of human neuropsychological disorders. Dr Luan's follow-up studies utilising a dietary form of vitamin D in pregnant rodent models successfully prevents the behavioural abnormalities of high relevance to schizophrenia and autism, suggesting a promising strategy in the prevention of offspring from adverse psychiatric outcomes. Dr Luan has recently joined the worldly-recognised neurodegeneration pathobiology lab led by Dr Adam Walker at QBI. He has been actively employing cutting-edge biochemistry, microscopy and well-established mouse model systems to investigate the molecular causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neuron disease (MND) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Dr Luan's research focuses on the cell stress response that is activated rapidly in mice of MND/FTD and will characterise new protein targets to prevent, treat, and cure these devastating diseases.
Journal Article: Early activation of cellular stress and death pathways caused by cytoplasmic TDP-43 in the rNLS8 mouse model of ALS and FTD
Luan, Wei, Wright, Amanda L., Brown-Wright, Heledd, Le, Sheng, San Gil, Rebecca, Madrid San Martin, Lidia, Ling, Karen, Jafar-Nejad, Paymaan, Rigo, Frank and Walker, Adam K. (2023). Early activation of cellular stress and death pathways caused by cytoplasmic TDP-43 in the rNLS8 mouse model of ALS and FTD. Molecular Psychiatry, 28 (6), 2445-2461. doi: 10.1038/s41380-023-02036-9
Journal Article: Prenatal hypoxia alters the early ontogeny of dopamine neurons
Brandon, Anastasia, Cui, Xiaoying, Luan, Wei, Ali, Asad Amanat, Pertile, Renata Aparecida Nedel, Alexander, Suzanne Adele and Eyles, Darryl Walter (2022). Prenatal hypoxia alters the early ontogeny of dopamine neurons. Translational Psychiatry, 12 (1) 238, 238. doi: 10.1038/s41398-022-02005-w
Journal Article: Maternal vitamin D prevents abnormal dopaminergic development and function in a mouse model of prenatal immune activation
Luan, Wei, Hammond, Luke Alexander, Vuillermot, Stephanie, Meyer, Urs and Eyles, Darryl Walter (2018). Maternal vitamin D prevents abnormal dopaminergic development and function in a mouse model of prenatal immune activation. Scientific Reports, 8 (1) 9741, 9741. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-28090-w
Synaptic mechanisms of non-motor dysfunction in MND
(2024–2025) Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc Innovator Grant
Prenatal Hypoxia Alters the Ontogeny of Dopamine Neurons
(2021) Master Philosophy
(2018) Master Philosophy
Luan, Wei, Wright, Amanda L., Brown-Wright, Heledd, Le, Sheng, San Gil, Rebecca, Madrid San Martin, Lidia, Ling, Karen, Jafar-Nejad, Paymaan, Rigo, Frank and Walker, Adam K. (2023). Early activation of cellular stress and death pathways caused by cytoplasmic TDP-43 in the rNLS8 mouse model of ALS and FTD. Molecular Psychiatry, 28 (6), 2445-2461. doi: 10.1038/s41380-023-02036-9
Prenatal hypoxia alters the early ontogeny of dopamine neurons
Brandon, Anastasia, Cui, Xiaoying, Luan, Wei, Ali, Asad Amanat, Pertile, Renata Aparecida Nedel, Alexander, Suzanne Adele and Eyles, Darryl Walter (2022). Prenatal hypoxia alters the early ontogeny of dopamine neurons. Translational Psychiatry, 12 (1) 238, 238. doi: 10.1038/s41398-022-02005-w
Luan, Wei, Hammond, Luke Alexander, Vuillermot, Stephanie, Meyer, Urs and Eyles, Darryl Walter (2018). Maternal vitamin D prevents abnormal dopaminergic development and function in a mouse model of prenatal immune activation. Scientific Reports, 8 (1) 9741, 9741. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-28090-w
Luan, Wei, Hammond, Luke Alexander, Cotter, Edmund, Osborne, Geoffrey William, Alexander, Suzanne Adele, Nink, Virginia, Cui, Xiaoying and Eyles, Darryl Walter (2017). Developmental vitamin D (DVD) deficiency reduces Nurr1 and TH expression in post-mitotic dopamine neurons in rat mesencephalon. Molecular Neurobiology, 55 (3), 2443-2453. doi: 10.1007/s12035-017-0497-3
Vuillermot, Stephanie, Luan, Wei, Meyer, Urs and Eyles, Darryl (2017). Vitamin D treatment during pregnancy prevents autism-related phenotypes in a mouse model of maternal immune activation. Molecular Autism, 8 (9) 9, 9. doi: 10.1186/s13229-017-0125-0
Knockdown of FAM3B triggers cell apoptosis through p53-dependent pathway
Mou, Haiwei, Li, Zongmeng, Yao, Pengle, Zhuo, Shu, Luan, Wei, Deng, Bo, Qian, Lihua, Yang, Mengmei, Mei, Hong and Le, Yingying (2013). Knockdown of FAM3B triggers cell apoptosis through p53-dependent pathway. The International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 45 (3), 684-691. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2012.12.003
Luan, Wei, Li, Fuhua, Zhang, Jiquan, Wen, Rong, Li, Yutao and Xiang, Jianhai (2010). Identification of a novel inducible cytosolic Hsp70 gene in Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis and comparison of its expression with the cognate Hsc70 under different stresses. Cell Stress & Chaperones, 15 (1), 83-93. doi: 10.1007/s12192-009-0124-y
Li, Fuhua, Luan, Wei, Zhang, Chengsong, Zhang, Jiquan, Wang, Bing, Xie, Yusu, Li, Shihao and Xiang, Jianhai (2009). Cloning of cytoplasmic heat shock protein 90 (FcHSP90) from Fenneropenaeus chinensis and its expression response to heat shock and hypoxia. Cell Stress & Chaperones, 14 (2), 161-172. doi: 10.1007/s12192-008-0069-6
Cloning and expression of glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) in Fenneropenaeus chinensis
Luan, Wei, Li, Fuhua, Zhang, Jiquan, Wang, Bing and Xiang, Jianhai (2009). Cloning and expression of glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) in Fenneropenaeus chinensis. Molecular Biology Reports, 36 (2), 289-298. doi: 10.1007/s11033-007-9178-z
Comparison of gene expression profiles of Fenneropenaeus chinensis challenged with WSSV and Vibrio
Wang, Bing, Li, Fuhua, Luan, Wei, Xie, Yusu, Zhang, Chengsong, Luo, Zhan, Gui, Lang, Yan, Hui and Xiang, Jianhai (2008). Comparison of gene expression profiles of Fenneropenaeus chinensis challenged with WSSV and Vibrio. Marine Biotechnology, 10 (6), 664-675. doi: 10.1007/s10126-008-9105-x
Zhang, Xiaoming, Luan, Wei, Jin, Songjun and Xiang, Jianhai (2008). A novel tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member (CsTL) from Ciona savignyi: Molecular identification and expression analysis. Developmental & Comparative Immunology, 32 (11), 1362-1373. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2008.05.009
Liu, Yi-Chen, Li, Fu-Hua, Wang, Bing, Dong, Bo, Zhang, Qing-Li, Luan, Wei, Zhang, Xiao-Jun and Xiang, Jian-Hai (2007). A transglutaminase from Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis), full-length cDNA cloning, tissue localization and expression profile after challenge. Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 22 (5), 576-588. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2006.08.004
Liu, Yi-Chen, Li, Fu-Hua, Dong, Bo, Wang, Bing, Luan, Wei, Zhang, Xiao-Jun, Zhang, Liu-Suo and Xiang, Jian-Hai (2007). Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of a putative C-type lectin (Fclectin) gene in Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis. Molecular Immunology, 44 (4), 598-607. doi: 10.1016/j.molimm.2006.01.015
Luan, W. (2017). Gestational vitamin d treatment blocks behavioural phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia induced by maternal immune activation. ISN-ESN Meeting, Paris, France, 20-24 August 2017. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell.
Luan, W., Alexander, S., Osborne, G., Nink, V., Cui, X. and Eyles, D. (2015). Histo-cytometric analysis of prenatal mesencephalic dopaminergic terminal specification based on NURR1 and tyrosine hydroxylase. 25th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Neurochemistry Jointly with the 13th Meeting of the Asian Pacific Society for Neurochemistry in Conjunction with the 35th Meeting of the Australasian Neuroscience Society, Cairns, QLD Australia, 23-27 August 2015. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1111/jnc.13188
Synaptic mechanisms of non-motor dysfunction in MND
(2024–2025) Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc Innovator Grant
Prenatal Hypoxia Alters the Ontogeny of Dopamine Neurons
(2021) Master Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
(2018) Master Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors: