Chun Jiang

Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University, School of Medicine, '90-'92
Postdoctoral Fellow, Auckland University, New Zealand, '88-'89
Ph.D., Shanghai Brain Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China, '88
B.M. (Bachelor of Medicine) Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China, '82

Cellular physiology and neurobiology with respect to autonomic regulations of respiration and cardiovascular function

Several vital functions of the vertebrate are controlled by the autonomic nervous system especially the brainstem, while the underlying mechanisms for such neural controls remain unclear. Chun Jiang’s group has been taking a cellular and molecular approach to gain insight into autonomic regulations of breathing and cardiovascular function, including functional genomics, molecular biology, patch clamp, multielectrode arrays, in-vitro tissue/organ preparations, optogenetics, plethysmograph and in-vivo electrophysiology, etc.

One of Chun Jiang’s current research areas is the breathing disorder in Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disease. In animal models, several symptom-critical findings have been made by this group, including abnormal central CO2 chemoreception, selective disruption of neuronal intrinsic membrane properties, characteristic defects in GABA, norepinephrine and acetylcholine neurotransmitter systems. Focusing on a few key molecular targets in the defects, his group is trying to develop pharmacological agents for diminishing or reversing the breathing disorder of the disease.

Another area of research in Chun Jiang’s group is related to the vascular physiology and disease. Several ion channels in vascular smooth muscles and endothelium are studied, which are involved in the development of diabetic vascular complications, hypertension and septic shock. This group was the first to apply optogenetics to vascular smooth muscles and endothelium, and use light to control vascular tension.