自2005年一直从事神经药理学的研究。近五年来主持课题共10余项，其中国家级项目5项，北京市重点项目1项，北京市自然基金面上项目1项。发表SCI收录文章70余篇，申请专利3项。

目前主要的研究方向是基于分子、细胞和动物模型探究帕金森病（Parkinson‘s disease，PD）发病机制，并开发治疗PD的创新药物。根据目前主持的课题，具体研究内容如下：
1. 帕金森病发病机制研究：聚焦帕金森病相关基因，研究PD发病机制。目前主要基于神经炎症、脑-肠轴、朊蛋白样病变等学说，研究-突触核蛋白（-synuclein）和孤儿核受体Nurr1与PD发生发展的关系与机制，为PD药物研究提供理论依据。
2. 抗帕金森病创新药物研究：以目前国际上研究PD发病机制的理论为指导，结合本课题组的研究基础，针对G-蛋白偶联受体等神经退行性疾病相关的靶点，从分子、细胞和动物三个层面建立多种PD药物筛选和评价模型，并与其他课题组合作，共同研发神经退行性疾病创新药物。

1. Wang XT, Sun H, Chen NH*, Yuan YH*. Tunneling Nanotubes: A Novel Pharmacological Target for Neurodegenerative Diseases? Pharmacol Res. 2021:105541. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105541.
2. Wang S, Han QW, Zhou TT, Zhang CL, Zhu CG, Zhou X, Chen NH, Yuan YH*, Shi JG. A bibenzyl compound 20C protects rats against 6-OHDA-induced damage by regulating adaptive immunity associated molecules. Int Immunopharmacol. 2021;91:107269. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107269
3. Zhang CL, Han QW, Chen NH*, Yuan YH*. Research on developing drugs for Parkinson's disease. Brain Res Bull. 2021 ;168:100-109.
4. Han QW, Yuan YH*, Chen NH*. The therapeutic role of cannabinoid receptors and its agonists or antagonists in Parkinson's disease. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2020:109745. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109745
5. Chen Y, Zhang QS, Shao QH, Wang S, Yuan YH*, Chen NH*, Wang HB. NLRP3 inflammasome pathway is involved in olfactory bulb pathological alteration induced by MPTP. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2019, 40(8):991-998.
6. Qian-hang Shao, Ying Chen, Fang-fang Li, Shuo Wang, Xiao-ling Zhang, Yuan YH*, Chen NH* TLR4 deficiency has a protective effect in the MPTP/probenecid mouse model of Parkinson’s disease Acta Pharmacol Sin. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2019，40(12):1503-1512
7. Shao QH, Yan WF, Zhang Z, Ma KL, Peng SY, Cao YL, Yuan YH*, Chen NH*. Nurr1: A vital participant in the TLR4-NF-κB signal pathway stimulated by α-synuclein in BV-2 cells. Neuropharmacology. 2019, 144，388-399
8. Wang S, Yuan YH, Chen NH, Wang HB，The mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome/pyroptosis activation and their role in Parkinson's disease. International Immunopharmacology 2019；67 ：458–464
9. Wen L,Zhang QS, Heng Y, Chen Y, Wang S, Yuan YH*, Chen NH*. NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the thymus of MPTP-induced Parkinsonian mouse model. Toxicol Lett. 2018, 5(288):1-8.
10. Shao QH, Zhang XL, Chen Y, Zhu CG, Shi JG, Yuan YH*, Chen NH*. Anti-neuroinflammatory effects of 20C from Gastrodia elata via regulating autophagy in LPS-activated BV-2 cells through MAPKs and TLR4/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. Mol Immunol. 2018;99:115-123
11. Chen Y, Shao Q, Yuan YH*, Chen NH*, Prion-like propagation of α-synuclein in the gut-brain axis. Brain Res Bull. 2018，140:341-346
12. Zhang QS, Heng Y, Chen Y, Luo P, Wen L, Zhang Z, Yuan YH*, Chen NH*. A novel bibenzyl compound, 20C, protected mice from MPTP/p toxicity by regulating alpha-synuclein related inflammatory response. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2017;363(2):284-292.
13. Zhang Q, Yang H, Mou Z, Huang JY, Yuan YH*, Chen NH* Reassessment of subacute MPTP-treated mice as animal model of Parkinson's disease. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, 2017;38(10):1317-1328
14. Zhang QS, Heng Y, Chen Y, Luo P, Wen L, Zhang Z, Yuan YH*, Chen NH*. A novel bibenzyl compound, 20C, protected mice from MPTP/p toxicity by regulating alpha-synuclein related inflammatory response. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2017;363(2):284-292.
15. Shao QH, Zhang XL, Yang PF, Yuan YH*, Chen NH*.Amyloidogenic proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases activate the NLRP3 inflammasome. Int Immunopharmacol. 2017 ;49:155-160.
16. Qiu-Shuang Zhanga, Yang Henga, Yu-He Yuan*, Nai-Hong Chen*. Pathological α-Synuclein Exacerbates the Progression of Parkinson’s Disease through Microglial Activation. Toxicol Lett 2017; 265(4) :30-37

1. 《应用分子药理学》,王晓良主编，中国协和医科大学出版社，2015，参与编写
2. 《来自植物的小分子药物》,杜冠华主编，人民卫生出版社，2018，参与编写
3. 《Natural Small Molecule Drugs from Plants》, 杜冠华主编，Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. and People’s Medical Publishing House，2019，参与编写。

1.天麻中具有神经细胞保护活性的多聚苄类衍生物；申请人：bobapp官方下载 ；发明人：石建功，陈乃宏，王亚男，苑玉和，林生，吴苗苗，郭庆兰，朱承根；专利号：ZL 201210159421.X；申请日：2012-05-22，授权 2017-4-26