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Rui Chang, PhD

Assistant Professor in Neuroscience and of Cellular and Molecular Physiology
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About

Titles

Assistant Professor in Neuroscience and of Cellular and Molecular Physiology

Biography

Rui Chang received his B.S. in Biological Sciences and Biotechnology from Tsinghua University, China in 2005. He then studied sensory transduction with Emily Liman and earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Southern California in 2011. He completed his postdoctoral training with Stephen Liberles at Harvard Medical School, where he investigated how body sensory cues are monitored by the brain through the vagus nerve, and how these internal signals regulate whole body physiology. He joined both the Department of Neuroscience and the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at Yale University School of Medicine in January 2018.

The Chang lab uses state-of-the-art molecular, genetic, and imaging approaches including single-cell gene expression profiling, virus-based anatomical mapping, in vivo imaging, optogenetics, and chemogenetics to reveal the physiological functions of diverse organ-to-brain circuits. The goal is to better understand the important body-brain interface, and to develop novel neuronal-based therapeutic strategies for disease intervention.

Appointments

Education & Training

Research Associate
Harvard Medical School (2017)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Harvard Medical School (2017)
PhD
University of Southern California, Neuroscience (2011)
BS
Tsinghua University, Biological Sciences and Biotechnology (2005)

Research

Overview

The vagus nerve is a major body-brain axis that relays critical sensory information from the neck, chest, and abdomen, and controls basic autonomic functions of the respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, and immune systems. Surgical, electrical, or pharmacological control of vagus nerve activity impacts numerous diseases. Our recent studies discover a multidimensional coding architecture of the vagal interoceptive system that ensures effective and efficient signal communication from visceral organs to the brain.

The Chang lab has special interests in the neuro-cardiac interactions as well as gut-brain axis in Parkinson’s disease.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

Cardiovascular System; Cranial Nerves; Ganglia, Sensory; Heart; Neural Pathways; Optogenetics; Peripheral Nervous System; Physiology; Vagus Nerve

Research at a Glance

Publications Timeline

A big-picture view of Rui Chang's research output by year.

Publications

2024

2023

2022

2020

2019

2018

2017

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

  • honor

    McKnight Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award

  • honor

    NIH Director’s New Innovator Award

  • honor

    Kavli Faculty Innovative Research Award

  • honor

    K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award

  • honor

    Keystone Symposia Future of Science Fund Scholarship

Get In Touch

Contacts

Academic Office Number

Events

May 20255Monday