Professor Li ChanProfessor of Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism, Honorary Consultant in Paediatric EndocrinologyCentre: Endocrinology Email: l.chan@qmul.ac.uk Telephone: +44(0) 20 7882 6241Twitter: @LChan_3ProfileResearchKey PublicationsSponsorsCollaboratorsProfileORCID iD: 0000-0001-5146-8242 Professor Li Chan studied Medicine at Cambridge before undertaking her basic paediatric training at Barts and the London Hospitals. She first joined the Centre for Endocrinology in 2005 to undertake her PhD investigating a novel receptor trafficking protein MRAP2 (melanocortin receptor accessory protein two). This was funded by a Barts and the London Charity clinical training fellowship and then an MRC clinical research training fellowship. Her work on the melanocortin receptor accessory proteins MRAP and MRAP2 as regulators of the melanocortin receptor family has revealed important novel aspects of melanocortin receptor biology. During this time she also contributed to two other areas of research: phenotype/genotype analysis of patients with Familial Glucocorticoid Deficiency (FGD), and the long-term follow-up of paediatric Cushing’s disease patients. After her PhD she was awarded the only national GRID training post in Paediatric Endocrinology. She was awarded a Tenure-track MRC/Academy of Medical Sciences clinician scientist fellowship to study the effects of MRAPs in energy homeostasis and adrenal function. She was a visiting scientist at the Sanger Institute and Institute of Metabolic Sciences in Cambridge. In 2012, she was awarded the Journal of Endocrinology outstanding young researcher prize. She was one of 20 female academics to participate in the first SUSTAIN Academy of Medical Sciences Leadership Programme and promoted to Clinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Endocrinology. In 2017, she joined the Department of Comparative Medicine at Yale School of Medicine as a visiting Associate Professor for a 6 month period. She is Senior Editor for Endocrine Connections, co-lead for the new Lifelong Health (LHH) multidisciplinary faculty of medicine theme at QMUL, co-lead for GeCiP endocrinology and metabolism domain and GOSH Charity’s Research Assessment Panel member. ResearchGroup members D Jackson C Lai, N Nguyen R Xu D Popat C Smith (with Prof Metherell) Summary Melanocortin receptor accessory proteins (MRAPs) in adrenal function and energy homeostasisThe MRAPs contribute in major ways to adrenal function and metabolism. Recently they have been shown to be promiscuous accessory factors, with multiple previously unsuspected roles regulating other G protein-coupled receptors beyond the melanocortin receptor family. The structure, function and regulation of these unique anti-parallel accessory factors and their importance in normal physiology and disease states forms one of the main research themes of our laboratory. Familial Glucocorticoid Deficiency (FGD) and Paediatric disorders of the HPA axis and cortisol actionThe Chan laboratory has a long-standing collaboration with Prof Metherell investigating molecular mechanisms and clinical phenotypes in FGD. More broadly, we are interested in clinical conditions affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in childhood. The melanocortin system forms a critical component of this axis, hence establishing the molecular regulation of this system promises to highlight future therapeutic targets. The development of MC2R antagonistsTogether with MRC-Technology (now Life-Arc) we have identified small molecule antagonists to MC2R, which would be important for the treatment of conditions of ACTH excess. Publications Friedman HR, Gaston L, Chan L et al. (2024). 6569 An Increase, Rather Than Absolute Amount, Of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (Crh) Drives Mouse Anxiety-Like Behavior. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvae163.106 QMRO: qmroHref Smith CJ, Abdullah MA, Hassan SS et al. (2024). 8482 Genetic Aetiology Of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency In Sudan. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvae163.193 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/103243 Elhassan YS, Appenzeller S, Landwehr L-S et al. (2024). Primary unilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia with concomitant glucocorticoid and androgen excess and KDM1A inactivation. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1093/ejendo/lvae106 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/99185 Ramakrishnan A, Popat D, Purushothaman P et al. (2024). A Novel Maternally Inherited GNAS Variant in a Family With Hyperphagia and Obesity: 3 Cases. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1210/jcemcr/luae125 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/100580 Elhassan Y, Appenzeller S, Landwehr L-S et al. (publicationYear). Primary unilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia with concomitant glucocorticoid and androgen excess and KDM1A inactivation. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.99.ep919 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/100709 Purushothaman P, Popat D, Ramakrishnan A et al. (publicationYear). A novel maternally inherited GNAS variant in a family with hyperphagia and obesity. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.95.oc2.1 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/99186 Popat D, Xu R, McCormick P et al. (publicationYear). Gain-of-function mutation F278C in MC2R results in reduced beta-1-arrestin recruitment and increased cAMP implicating impairment of S280 phosphorylation. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.94.oc5.2 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/99187 Smith C, Abdullah M, Hassan S et al. (publicationYear). Genetic aetiology of primary adrenal insufficiency in Sudan. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.94.p15 QMRO: qmroHref Elhassan Y, Appenzeller S, Landwehr L et al. (publicationYear). Primary unilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (pumah) with concomitant glucocorticoid and androgen excess due to kdm1a activation and constitute mc2r activation. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.94.cc1 QMRO: qmroHref Smith C, Jackson A, Al-Salihi A et al. (2023). SAT292 Adrenal Insufficiency Associated With Biallelic Mutations In Porphyria Genes. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvad114.296 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/103246 View Profile Publication Page Sponsors Wellcome Trust Medical Research Council International Fund Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Barts Charity British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes EU CollaboratorsInternal Dr Caroline Brennan Professor Leo Guasti Professor Lou Metherell Professor Paul Chapple External Dr Tony Coll (University of Cambridge) Prof Stephen O'Rahilly (University of Cambridge) Dr Giles Yeo (University of Cambridge) MRC Technology/LifeArc Dr Marika Charalambous (King’s College, London) Prof Sabrina Diano & Prof Tamas Horvath (Yale University) Prof Joe Majzoub (Boston Children’s) Back to top