On 16 July, Thomas Euler speaker of the limits2vision – iRTG is pleased to welcome Professor Wei Li, Dean of the SANS Institute for Neuroscience and Vision Research (SINVR) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, for a lecture on the latest advances in visual neuroscience.

Professor Li’s presentation in Tübingen will provide insights into cutting-edge research at the intersection of neuroscience, metabolism, and vision. His work demonstrates how fundamental discoveries in neural circuits and physiological adaptation can inspire new approaches to understanding eye diseases and preserving visual function. His talk on „The biology of cone photoreceptors“, on Thurdsday 16 July, 4.15 p.m. , at the MV Lecture Hall (Institutes of Microbiology and Virology, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 6, Tübingen) promises to be of broad interest to researchers working in neuroscience, ophthalmology, physiology, and translational medicine.

Professor Li is internationally recognized for his pioneering work on the neural mechanisms of vision. His research spans a remarkable range of topics, from retinal synapses and neural circuits to visual signal processing, retinal development, metabolism, and diseases affecting the visual system. By combining molecular, physiological, and systems-level approaches, his laboratory seeks to understand how the retina processes visual information in both healthy and diseased states.

Before joining Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Professor Li spent many years at the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he served as Senior Investigator with tenure and Chief of the Retinal Neurobiology Section. During his distinguished career at NIH, he also held numerous leadership positions, contributing to scientific governance, research ethics, and collaborative initiatives that advanced translational biomedical research.

One of Professor Li’s most distinctive research interests lies in the biology of hibernation. Using ground squirrels as a unique experimental model, his team investigates how the visual system adapts to the profound metabolic changes that occur during hibernation. This innovative work has revealed fundamental mechanisms that link metabolism, neuronal resilience, and tissue health, opening new avenues for understanding—and ultimately treating—visual system disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.

Beyond his scientific discoveries, Professor Li is a leading figure in the international vision research community. He currently serves as Chair of the FASEB Retinal Neurobiology and Visual Processing Conference and as a Trustee of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). In recognition of his scientific leadership, he has been elected ARVO Vice President for 2027. His many honors, including ARVO Fellow status and several prestigious international awards, reflect his outstanding contributions to vision science.

We are delighted to welcome Professor Wei Li to Tübingen and look forward to an inspiring scientific exchange.