Peter P. Li

Despite the widespread acceptance on the clinical effectiveness of antidepressant and mood stabilizing agents in the treatment of affective disorders, the precise mechanism of their therapeutic efficacies remains unknown. The overall objective of our research program is to examine the molecular processes underlying signal transduction across neuronal membranes as target loci underlying their therapeutic effects. We are especially interested in investigating the roles of various postreceptor signaling components including G proteins, effector enzymes, protein kinases, transcriptional factors, and gene expression to improve our knowledge at the molecular level of the mechanism(s) underlying their therapeutic effects. Furthermore, such information might enhance our understanding of the biochemical causes of affective disorders and lead to the development of new treatment strategy for these common psychiatric diseases.