Online Seminar | Advancing Alzheimer's Disease Research: Multidimensional Models from Rats to Non-Human Primates Driving Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Breakthroughs
September 21st each year is “World Alzheimer’s Day,” established to raise global awareness of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and to advance research, prevention, and treatment efforts in this field. Today, AD has become a “memory killer” affecting tens of millions of families worldwide. The complexity of its pathological mechanisms and the considerable challenges in drug development have kept countless researchers continuously striving for breakthroughs. As a core tool for unraveling the mysteries of AD, animal models continue to face significant pain points, including the limitations of traditional mouse models, the difficulties in generating primate models, and ambiguous logic in model selection.
In response to the call for “World Alzheimer’s Day,” to help the research community break through bottlenecks in AD research,On Friday, September 19, 2025, at 19:00, VCBeat and Lingfu Bio jointly hosted an online academic webinar, featuring a distinguished panel comprising Professor Mei Fan, Assistant Professor, Associate Researcher, and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University; Professor Li Xiaojiang, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the Jinan University Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Center for CNS Regeneration, and concurrently Researcher at the Lingang Laboratory; and Mr. Li Yuefeng, Director of the Model Business Division at Lingfu Bio. This expert lineup focused on addressing the core challenges in AD animal models.—From rats to non-human primates, and from model construction to application evaluation: a comprehensive dissection of the R&D and practical logic behind “user-friendly and precise” AD models, injecting new momentum into AD research!
Why You Should Tune In to This Live Stream?
● Comprehensive coverage of the entire AD model research pipeline：Systematically mapping diverse scenarios in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) model research, this work focuses on the core questions of “how to select and apply models,” providing a one-stop solution for researchers with varying needs and bridging the cognitive gap between theory and practice.
● Analysis of Key Advantages of AD Models:In-Depth AnalysisAppNL-G-F Rat models overcome the limitations of traditional mouse models and accurately recapitulate the full pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), underscoring their pivotal role in mechanistic studies and novel target screening, thereby enhancing the understanding of the applied value of foundational animal models.
● Detailed Explanation of Key Practical Points for Primate Models:From the perspective of industrial implementation, this article deconstructs the key steps and evaluation criteria for preparing non-human primate models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), shares practical experience to avoid technical pitfalls, and provides technical guidance for the practical application of primate models.
● Uncover the unique value of transgenic monkey models:In-Depth Analysis of the Core Reasons Why Transgenic Monkey Models More Closely Mimic Human Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology, Elucidating Their Irreplaceable Role in Unveiling Novel AD Mechanisms and Advancing Drug Development, and Highlighting the Cutting-Edge Research Value of High-End Animal Models.
From “Choosing the Right Model” to “Using the Model Effectively,” this live stream could be the key step to breaking through bottlenecks in your Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research! On Friday, September 19, at 19:00, join three renowned experts to unlock the “correct approach” to AD models! Scan the QR code to secure your spot, and share it with your research colleagues to grow together!
Dr. Du Jie
Lingfu Biotech | Senior Vice President
Mentored by Academician Yang Baofeng of Harbin Medical University, he has served as a senior executive at pharmaceutical companies including JOINN, SAFE, and BioGene. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in the translational development of new drugs, non-clinical efficacy and safety evaluation, and regulatory submission guidance.
Mei Fan Professor
Peking University Health Science Center | Assistant Professor, Associate Research Fellow, Doctoral Supervisor
Dedicated to the discovery of novel risk genes and the elucidation of pathogenic mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease. 1) Conducting high-throughput functional screening of variants in non-coding genomic regions based on whole-genome sequencing of large-scale clinical cohorts; 2) Identifying novel susceptibility genes, deciphering pathogenic mechanisms, and discovering therapeutic targets by integrating human brain organoid disease models with animal models; 3) Predicting genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease using deep learning models. Over the past five years, has published papers as first author or corresponding author (including co-first/co-corresponding authors) in journals such as Nature Communications, Cell Research, Cell Reports, and EMBO Reports.
Li Yuefeng
Lingfu Biotech | Director, Model Business Division
Participated in GLP, AAALAC, and CNAS accreditations, with 13 years of experience in the research and development of primate experimental animal models and experimental techniques. Proficient in surgical preparation of monkey models for cerebral infarction, and mastered the preparation and evaluation techniques for various disease models, including Parkinson’s disease (PD) and spinal cord injury models, as well as advanced techniques such as stereotaxic drug administration in monkey brains. Also skilled in breeding research of experimental monkeys, having participated in multiple cloned monkey projects. In recent years, led or participated in seven provincial and national-level projects, published more than ten papers, including five SCI-indexed papers, and holds multiple patents for scientific and technological achievements.
Li Xiaojiang Professor
Institute of Central Nervous System Regeneration, Jinan University | Professor, Doctoral Supervisor; Adjunct Researcher at the Lingang National Laboratory
A world-renowned expert in neurodegenerative disease research, he served as Distinguished Professor in the Department of Human Genetics at Emory University (2007–2019). In 2008, he was appointed as a Chang Jiang Scholar Professor by the Chinese Ministry of Education. In 2008, he and his collaborators established the world’s first transgenic non-human primate model of Huntington’s disease. In 2015, they generated the first transgenic monkey model of Parkinson’s disease, and subsequently used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to create the first monkey models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and autism. In 2018, their work on the world’s first knock-in pig model of Huntington’s disease was published in the prestigious international journal Cell, garnering significant acclaim and attention both domestically and internationally. His research covers diseases including Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and autism. He has published 250 papers in leading international journals such as Cell and Nature, with over 33,200 cumulative citations and an H-index of 94.