Li Xu

Principal Research Engineer

Postdoc

Publications

2026

Estelle Barbier, Leon Höglund, Li Xu, Nihal A. Salem, Elizabeth A. Osterndorff-Kahanek, Riccardo Barchiesi, Antonio Lacorte, Lief E. Fenno, Robert O. Messing, R. Dayne Mayfield, Markus Heilig (2026)

Identification and validation of central amygdala FGFR1 as a therapeutic target for alcohol use disorder using single-nucleus sequencing in rats Nature Communications, Vol. 17, Article 9407 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-77302-9

2024

Sanne Toivainen Eloff, Michele Petrella, Li Xu, Esther Visser, Tamina Weiss, Sofia Vellere, Zane Zeier, Claes Wahlestedt, Estelle Barbier, Esi Domi, Markus Heilig (2024)

Generation and Characterization of a Novel Prkcd-Cre Rat Model Journal of Neuroscience, Vol. 44, Article e0528242024 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0528-24.2024

Michele Petrella, Anna Maria Borruto, Lorenzo Curti, Ana Domi, Esi Domi, Li Xu, Estelle Barbier, Alice Ilari, Markus Heilig, Friedbert Weiss, Guido Mannaioni, Alessio Masi, Roberto Ciccocioppo (2024)

Pharmacological blockage of NOP receptors decreases ventral tegmental area dopamine neuronal activity through GABAB receptor-mediated mechanism Neuropharmacology, Vol. 248, Article 109866 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109866

Sanne Toivainen Eloff, Li Xu, Francesco Gobbo, Andrea Della Valle, Andrea Coppola, Markus Heilig, Esi Domi (2024)

Different mechanisms underlie compulsive alcohol self-administration in male and female rats Biology of Sex Differences, Vol. 15, Article 17 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13293-024-00592-5

2023

Esi Domi, Li Xu, Sanne Toivainen Eloff, Joost Wiskerke, Andrea Coppola, Lovisa Holm, Eric Augier, Michele Petrella, Markus Heilig (2023)

Activation of GABA(B) receptors in central amygdala attenuates activity of PKC delta plus neurons and suppresses punishment-resistant alcohol self-administration in rats Neuropsychopharmacology, Vol. 48, p. 1386-1395 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41386-023-01543-1

Research

The Heilig Translational Psychiatry Lab: Preclinical group

We use animal models to discover molecular and neural mechanisms that cause a progression into alcohol addiction, and to identify novel targets for pharmacological addiction treatments.

News

Mechanism behind compulsive alcohol use revealed

A small group of nerve cells in the brain determines whether an individual continues to consume alcohol even when it has negative consequences. The scientists have identified a mechanism that may be a suitable target for treatment by medication.

Organisation

A researcher is looking at encased samples in a lab.

Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience - CSAN

Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN) integrates knowledge and methodology from different areas of basic and clinical neuroscience.

Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV)

What characterizes the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV) is the wide breadth of research and education. BKV is one of the largest departments at LiU with affiliation mainly to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.