[Isl] ISL Brown Bag by Dr. Yan Li

[Zhe He]

Dear all,

You are invited to attend the ISL Brown Bag Talk by Dr. Yan Li from FAMU-FSU College of Engineering on September 30, 2026 at 12 PM noon.

Title:"How Brain Immune Cells Communicate to Protect Against Neurodegeneration”

Speaker: Dr. Yan Li

Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Location: Innovation Hub, Room 126 or Zoom<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffsu.zoom.us%2Fmeeting%2Fregister%2FCYw3I5SfTyi4eH5TJ1NDTg%23%2Fregistration&data=05%7C02%7Cisl%40lists.fsu.edu%7C1b116e5cfbbf4aef015c08df02c65df6%7Ca36450ebdb0642a78d1b026719f701e3%7C0%7C0%7C639232723125668219%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Y6h266aZzyhg2Q5RBrKt4G6Q6SACU3PqJZFgE%2Fsy95s%3D&reserved=0> (https://fsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/CYw3I5SfTyi4eH5TJ1NDTg#/registration<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffsu.zoom.us%2Fmeeting%2Fregister%2FCYw3I5SfTyi4eH5TJ1NDTg%23%2Fregistration&data=05%7C02%7Cisl%40lists.fsu.edu%7C1b116e5cfbbf4aef015c08df02c65df6%7Ca36450ebdb0642a78d1b026719f701e3%7C0%7C0%7C639232723125696078%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=VeZoEFGrE7utEVL%2BrZWnMcQ74%2B1OgUsfb0OAjgJgzWc%3D&reserved=0>). In-person participation is encouraged. We will provide light refreshments.

What is this talk about?

Microglia are the brain’s resident immune cells and play an important role in maintaining brain health. They are also increasingly implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, but how they communicate with other brain cells and influence neurodegeneration remains poorly understood.

In this study, we use human stem-cell-derived brain organoids (“mini-brain” models) to investigate interactions between microglia and neural cells in Alzheimer’s disease. We focus on extracellular vesicles, tiny particles released by cells that carry molecular signals to other cells. Using brain organoids and microglia derived from healthy individuals and people with genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, we examine how these vesicles affect inflammation, metabolism, and neural degeneration.

Our findings suggest that extracellular vesicles from healthy microglia and microglia-containing brain organoids can regulate pathways related to inflammation, Alzheimer’s pathology, and cellular metabolism, offering new insights into brain immune-cell communication and potential approaches to neuroprotection.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Yan Li is the Simon Ostrach Professor of Engineering and Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. Her research focuses on stem cell engineering, tissue engineering, biomaterials, and bioprocessing, with particular interests in human pluripotent stem cells, brain organoids, and extracellular vesicles. Her recent work explores how these technologies can be used to better understand and develop potential treatments for neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. Dr. Li is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award.

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