معرفی
Yijun Pan is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Neuroscience at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), Monash University. He holds an adjunct lecturer position at Tohoku University, Japan. His research focuses on the role of Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins (FABPs) in immunometabolism and drug delivery in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Motor Neuron Disease.
- Bachelor of Pharmacy, Monash University
- PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, supervised by Associate Professor Joseph Nicolazzo, Professor Christopher Porter, and Professor Martin Scanlon
Dr Pan’s research interests center on the molecular mechanisms of FABPs in brain endothelial cells, microglia, and astrocytes, particularly in the context of neuroinflammation and lipid metabolism. His work explores how these proteins influence drug transport across the blood-brain barrier and contribute to disease progression in dementia and motor neuron disorders. He employs in vitro and in vivo models to study immunometabolic pathways and optimize therapeutic delivery.
His recent publications demonstrate a strong trend in neuropharmacology, focusing on blood-brain barrier function, fatty acid transport, neuroinflammation, and cognitive outcomes in animal models. Key themes include the modulation of drug transporters, the role of ion channels in neuroprotection, and immune cell involvement in neurodegeneration.
- American Chemical Society Editors’ Choice Award, Molecular Pharmaceutics (2015)
- Best Oral Presentation Award, 8th Victorian Association of Chinese PhD Students and Young Scholars Research Symposium (2014)
- Honourable Geoffrey Connard AM Student Travelling Scholarship (2013)
- JSPS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2018)
- Neil Naismith Award (2012)
Dr Pan is actively involved in mentoring and supervision, contributing to Honours and PhD projects at MIPS. He has served as a Chief Investigator on multiple competitive grants, including those from Dementia Australia and FightMND. He regularly engages in peer review for journals such as Molecular Pharmaceutics, Diagnosis, and Biomolecules, and has presented his work at institutions including RMIT and the National University of Singapore.
He is a key member of the Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics Theme at MIPS and collaborates internationally, particularly with Tohoku University. His research is supported by significant funding from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Dementia Australia, and FightMND.
