Rui Chang, PhD
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
Like the splendid external world, the environment inside our body is constantly changing. The ability to monitor internal organ status by the nervous system is essential, ensuring an appropriate regulation of physiology and behavior to diverse body needs. What signals are critical for this communication between body organs and the brain? How are different organ cues being detected and processed? Are these pathways altered under certain disease conditions? The Chang lab uses state-of-the-art molecular, genetic, and imaging approaches including single-cell gene expression profiling, virus-based anatomical tracing, in vivo imaging, optogenetics, and chemogenetics to functionally dissect out diverse organ-to-brain circuits. Our goal is to better understand the important body-brain interface, and to develop novel neuronal-based therapeutic strategies for disease intervention.
Extensive Research Description
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.
Research Interests
Cardiovascular System; Cranial Nerves; Heart; Neural Pathways; Physiology; Vagus Nerve; Peripheral Nervous System; Ganglia, Sensory; Optogenetics
Selected Publications
- Cardiovascular Brain CircuitsMohanta S, Yin C, Weber C, Godinho-Silva C, Veiga-Fernandes H, Xu Q, Chang R, Habenicht A. Cardiovascular Brain Circuits. Circulation Research 2023, 132: 1546-1565. PMID: 37228235, PMCID: PMC10231443, DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.123.322791.
- The vagus nerve in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology: From evolutionary insights to clinical medicineRajendran P, Hadaya J, Khalsa S, Yu C, Chang R, Shivkumar K. The vagus nerve in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology: From evolutionary insights to clinical medicine. Seminars In Cell And Developmental Biology 2023, 156: 190-200. PMID: 36641366, PMCID: PMC10336178, DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.01.001.
- “Goodnight” from the heart: A cardiovascular circuit that promotes sleepYu C, Chang R. “Goodnight” from the heart: A cardiovascular circuit that promotes sleep. Neuron 2022, 110: 3857-3859. PMID: 36480939, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.11.005.
- Vagal sensory neurons and gut-brain signalingYu CD, Xu QJ, Chang RB. Vagal sensory neurons and gut-brain signaling. Current Opinion In Neurobiology 2020, 62: 133-140. PMID: 32380360, PMCID: PMC7560965, DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.03.006.
- Arterial Baroreceptors Sense Blood Pressure through Decorated Aortic Claws.Min S, Chang RB, Prescott SL, Beeler B, Joshi NR, Strochlic DE, Liberles SD. Arterial Baroreceptors Sense Blood Pressure through Decorated Aortic Claws. Cell Reports 2019, 29: 2192-2201.e3. PMID: 31747594, PMCID: PMC6893869, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.040.
- An evolutionarily conserved gene family encodes proton-selective ion channelsTu YH, Cooper AJ, Teng B, Chang RB, Artiga DJ, Turner HN, Mulhall EM, Ye W, Smith AD, Liman ER. An evolutionarily conserved gene family encodes proton-selective ion channels. Science 2018, 359: 1047-1050. PMID: 29371428, PMCID: PMC5845439, DOI: 10.1126/science.aao3264.
- Piezo2 senses airway stretch and mediates lung inflation-induced apnoea.Nonomura K, Woo SH, Chang RB, Gillich A, Qiu Z, Francisco AG, Ranade SS, Liberles SD, Patapoutian A. Piezo2 senses airway stretch and mediates lung inflation-induced apnoea. Nature 2017, 541: 176-181. PMID: 28002412, PMCID: PMC5267560, DOI: 10.1038/nature20793.
- Sensory Neurons that Detect Stretch and Nutrients in the Digestive System.Williams EK, Chang RB, Strochlic DE, Umans BD, Lowell BB, Liberles SD. Sensory Neurons that Detect Stretch and Nutrients in the Digestive System. Cell 2016, 166: 209-21. PMID: 27238020, PMCID: PMC4930427, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.05.011.
- Inhibition of KIR2.1 by Intracellular Acidification Contributes to Sour Taste TransductionYe W, Chang R, Bushman J, Tu Y, Mulhall E, Wilson C, Cooper A, Chick W, Hill-Eubanks D, Nelson M, Kinnamon S, Liman E. Inhibition of KIR2.1 by Intracellular Acidification Contributes to Sour Taste Transduction. Biophysical Journal 2016, 110: 424a. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.11.2294.
- Vagal Sensory Neuron Subtypes that Differentially Control Breathing.Chang RB, Strochlic DE, Williams EK, Umans BD, Liberles SD. Vagal Sensory Neuron Subtypes that Differentially Control Breathing. Cell 2015, 161: 622-633. PMID: 25892222, PMCID: PMC4842319, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.03.022.
- TRPAI is a Co2 Sensor in NociceptorsWang Y, Chang R, Liman E. TRPAI is a Co2 Sensor in Nociceptors. Biophysical Journal 2011, 100: 520a. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2010.12.3041.
- A proton current drives action potentials in genetically identified sour taste cellsChang RB, Waters H, Liman ER. A proton current drives action potentials in genetically identified sour taste cells. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2010, 107: 22320-22325. PMID: 21098668, PMCID: PMC3009759, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1013664107.