Wei Lei

Dr. Wei Lei serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Sciences at Campbell University's College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. His research pioneers non-opioid pain management strategies through molecular pharmacology and botanical science, with prior faculty appointments at Manchester University and Presbyterian College.

His educational credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Nutritional Immunology, University of Missouri (2015)
• M.S., University of Arkansas (2010)
• M.S., Hunan Agricultural University (2006)
• BS in Veterinary Medicine (2003)

Dr. Lei's work centers on Molecular Pharmacology and Chronic Pain Drug Discovery, investigating Aha1/Nrf2/glutaminase modulation in pain pathways and developing botanical analgesics like Arnica. His lab employs animal models to address chemotherapy-induced neuropathy and inflammatory pain, bridging Nutritional Immunology with clinical applications for safer analgesics.

Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal accelerating output in dual-target compounds and botanical validation, with multiple studies on glutaminase inhibitors and heat shock protein 90 modulators. This trajectory demonstrates deepening specialization in non-opioid mechanisms while expanding translational relevance.

Key recognitions include:

• Faculty Scholar of the Year Award (Campbell University, 2024)
• Consecutive NIH PURPOSE Travel Awards (2023-2024)
• Dual Presbyterian College honors: Faculty Researcher of Year and Making a Difference Award (2021)

His active laboratory demonstrates robust grant support through continuous publications and NIH recognition. Though specific student counts aren't published, his 78 research outputs indicate substantial mentorship capacity. Current projects focus on advancing botanical analgesics and dual-mechanism compounds toward clinical application.

Dr. Lei's research team operates at the pharmacology-clinical interface, leveraging animal pain models to validate novel targets. The lab's current priorities include optimizing Arnica-based formulations and developing glutaminase/Nrf2 dual-activity compounds to overcome limitations of existing neuropathic pain treatments.