Research
Research projects
Our laboratory explores the physiological role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis in the context of metabolic disorders including, but not limited to, obesity, type-1/-2 diabetes and etc. Our goal is to uncover new findings, break new grounds, delineate the etiology and pathogenesis of human diseases, and eventually help develop therapeutic strategies. In the past 16 years, using cellular, immunological and molecular biology approaches, we have made some important discoveries and produced new insights into the pathogenesis of these diseases.
PHYSIOLOGICAL ROLE OF ER-ASSOCIATED DEGRADATION (ERAD) IN HEALTH AND DISEASE
We were the first to demonstrate SEL1L as an indispensable component of HRD1 ERAD complex in mammals in vivo (PNAS 2014), discover novel links between SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD and a number of disease-associated proteins and pathways including IRE1a, prohormones and lipoprotein lipase (Nat Cell Biol 2015; Mol Biol Cell 2016; J Clin Invest 2017, 2018; Cell Metabolism 2014), report how ERAD regulates mitochondrial function (Science 2020), and demonstrate how ERAD function in many different tissues and cell types (Nat Cell Biol 2013, 2023; Nat Comm 2023; J Clin Invest 2020, 2021, 2023; EMBO 2019; Cell Reports 2016)...
Our achievements build on our desire to think outside the box, take the risk and develop breakthrough science. We are at the forefront of the ERAD field. We are uniquely positioned because of many SEL1L-HRD1 ERAD deficient cell and mouse models that we have recently generated, because of our innovative spirits, passion and dedication to scientific discovery and because of our diverse research expertise in many different areas.
We will tackle many intriguing questions in the field, in particularly, (a) how different cell types deal with protein misfolding and manage ER homeostasis under various disease settings in mouse models and humans, (b) how ERAD is linked to other signaling pathways including innate immunity and nutrient metabolism in vivo, and (c) biochemically how ERAD works in the cell as well as the nature of endogenous ERAD substrates in a cell type specific manner. These studies will likely have significant impact as they will fundamentally change our views on the role of ER homeostasis, ERAD and protein folding and degradation in physiology and diseases.
Lab in the News
University of Virginia (2023-present)
05/03/23 Medicine in Motion News, UVA
Ling Qi, PhD, to Chair UVA’s Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
University of Michigan (2016-present)
3/30/20 University of Michigan Health Lab Unlock the secrets of brown fat
https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/lab-report/unlocking-secrets-of-brown-fat
5/20/19 University of Michigan Health Lab Discovery in mice could remove roadblock to more insulin production
1/19/18 University of Michigan Health Lab Clues to Obesity’s Roots Found in Brains’ Quality Control Process https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/lab-report/clues-to-obesitys-roots-found-brains-quality-control-process
9/18/17 University of Michigan Medicine Urine output to disease: study sheds light on the importance of hormone quality control
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-09/mmu-uot091517.php
11/16/16 University of Michigan Health Lab Researching Proinsulin Misfolding to Understand Diabetes
http://labblog.uofmhealth.org/industry-dx/researching-proinsulin-misfolding-to-understand-diabetes
Cornell (2007-2016)
11/12/15 Cornell Chronicle Mechanism underlying cell stress response discovered (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2015/11/mechanism-underlying-cell-stress-response-discovered)
8/4/14 Cornell Chronicle A new player in lipid metabolism discovered (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/08/new-player-lipid-metabolism-discovered)
6/18/14 Cornell Chronicle Chronic intake of Western diet kills mice (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/06/chronic-intake-western-diet-kills-mice)
5/28/14 Cornell Chronicle 20 Cornellians win SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/05/20-cornellians-win-suny-chancellors-awards-excellence)
1/22/14 Cornell Chronicle Gene prevents buildup of misfolded cell proteins (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/01/gene-prevents-buildup-misfolded-cell-proteins)
8/21/13 ABC News There’s no perfect diet, researcher says (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/stop-diet-madness-researcher/story?id=20023902)
5/13 Diabetes Forecast Powering Diabetes Research (with a profile of Dr. Ling Qi) (http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2013/may/powering-diabetes-research.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/)
12/20/12 Cornell Chronicle Researchers link protein known for cell mobility with protein folding during stress (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Dec12/ERStress.html)
5/7/12 Cornell Chronicle Immune cells found to counter obesity-related diabetes (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/May12/QiTCells.html)
3/14/12 Cornell Daily Sun The Scientist: Prof. Ling Qi Examines Fat Cell Responses to Obesity and Diabetes (http://cornellsun.com/node/50559)
1/31/12 Cornell Chronicle Qi wins prestigious American Diabetes Association award (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Jan12/QiDiabetesAward.html)
8/17/11 Cornell Chronicle Grad student wins Hughes fellowship for doctoral research (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Aug11/ShengyiSunAward.html)
6/2/09 Cornell Chronicle Cornell researchers discover key regulator of fat cell development (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2009/06/researchers-discover-pathway-implications-obesity)
6/5/08 Cornell Chronicle Cornell researcher strives to break the link between obesity and diabetes (http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/June08/obesity.diabetes.mw.html)