Chieh Chang
Chieh Chang
Ph.D., California Institute of Technology
The research in my laboratory tries to understand the rules that allow the nervous system to ‘wire itself’ in embryos, ‘rewire itself’ after injury in adults, and degenerate as animals age. We address specifically the following questions: How do neurons regulate the transition of sequential events in neuronal connectivity from nerve pathfinding to synapse formation? How do neurons regenerate and repair themselves after injury? How does age influence nerve regeneration and degeneration? How do levels of heterochronic genes in development affect the vulnerability to neurodegeneration in disease? We ask these questions mainly in the context of nematode C. elegans with an overarching goal of identifying common mechanisms underlying the development, regeneration, and degeneration of neural circuits that can be applicable to other model organisms. I have studied signaling mechanisms that control gene expression, organogenesis, nerve pathfinding, and nerve regeneration for nearly 27 years. My lab recently established new C. elegans models of neurodegeneration that exhibit either age-related or early-onset neurodegeneration. My lab has identified spatial and temporal regulatory pathways that control neuronal circuit assembly, regeneration, and degeneration.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2014- Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago
2014 Head, Laboratory of Assembly and Regeneration of Neural Circuits, Division of Developmental
Biology and Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation
2008 Assistant Professor of Biology, Associate Member of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University
2006 Postdoctoral research with Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne at the HHMI, Stanford University and with
Dr. Cornelia I. Bargmann at the HHMI, University of California, San Francisco & Rockefeller University
2001 Doctoral research with Dr. Paul W. Sternberg at the HHMI, California Institute of Technology
AWARDS:
2013 Whitehall Foundation Research Award
2010 March of Dimes Research Program Award, March of Dimes Foundation
2009 Whitehall Foundation Research Award
2006 Canada Foundation for Innovation, Leaders Opportunity Award
2003-2005 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow
1999 Helen G. and Arthur McCallum Fellowship, Caltech
1997-1998 Howard Hughes Medical Fellowship, Caltech
PUBLICATIONS:
2022
Suzuki N, Zou Y, Sun HS, Eichel K, Shao M, Shih M, Shen K, Chang C. Two intrinsic timing mechanisms set start and end times for dendritic arborization of a nociceptive neuron. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., Dec. 2022
2021
Zou Y, Shih M, Chiu H, Ferreira T, Suzuki N, Zou W, Chuang C-F, Chang C. The kpc-1 (furin) 3’UTR promotes dendritic transport and local translation of mRNAs to regulate dendrite branching and self-avoidance of a nociceptive neuron. BioRxiv, 2021.08.03.453128 [Preprint]
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.03.453128v1
Shih M. and Chang C. Brain-wide identification of LIN-41 (TRIM71) protein-expressing neurons by NeuroPAL. microPublication Biology, 10.17912/micropub.biology.000472, 2021
2020
Chang C*, Hisamoto, N*. Engulfment genes promote neuronal regeneration in C. elegans: Two divergent but complementary views. BioEssays, 1900185, 2020. *Co-corresponding authors
2019
Alqadah, A., Hsieh, Y.-W., Xiong, R., Lesch, B.J., Chang C, Chuang, C.-F. A universal transportin protein diversifies olfactory neurons via specific nuclear import of a sox-2-activating factor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 116, 25137-25146, 2019.
2018
Chiu H, Zou Y*, Suzuki N*, Hsieh Y-W, Chuang C-F, Wu Y-C, Chang C. Engulfing cells promote neuronal regeneration and remove neuronal debris through distinct biochemical functions of CED-1. Nature Communications, 9, 4842, 2018. *Equal contribution
2017
Ivakhnitskaia E, et. al, Chang C. Timing of neuronal plasticity in development and aging. WIREs Developmental Biology, 7:e305, 2017.
2016
Dong X, Chiu H, Park YJ, Zou W, Zou Y, Özkan E, Chang C*, Shen K*. Precise regulation of the guidance receptor DMA-1 by KPC-1/Furin instructs dendritic branching decisions. eLife, 5, e11008, 2016. *Co-corresponding authors
Ivakhnitskaia E, et al, Chang C. Timing Mechanisms in Neuronal Pathfinding, Synaptic Reorganization, and Neuronal Regeneration. Development Growth & Differentiation, 58, 1-6, 2016.
2015
Alqadah A, Hsieh Y-W, Vidal B, Chang C, Hobert O, Chuang C-F. Postmitotic diversification of olfactory neuron types is mediated by differential activities of the HMG-box transcription factor SOX-2. EMBO Journal, 34, 2574-2589, 2015.
2014
Chiu H, Alqadah A, Chang C. The role of microRNAs in regulating neuronal connectivity. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 7, 1-6, 2014.
2013
Chiu H, Chang C. Rejuvenating nerve cells in adults. Aging 5, 1-2, 2013.
Zou Y†, Chiu H†, Zinovyeva A, Ambros V, Chuang C-F, Chang C. Developmental decline in neuronal regeneration by the progressive change of two intrinsic timers. Science 340, 372-376, 2013. †Equal contribution.
Recommended by Faculty of 1000; Featured in "Perspective: Heterochronic genes turn back the clock in old neurons" Nix P, Bastiani M, Science, 340, 282-283, 2013; Highlighted in "Editors' Choice: Turn Off Youth" Hines P. J., Science Signaling, 2013.
2012
Zou Y, Chiu H, Domenger D, Chuang C-F, Chang C. The lin-4 microRNA targets the LIN-14 transcription factor to inhibit netrin-mediated axon attraction. Science Signaling 5, research article ra43, 2012.
Hsieh Y-W, Chang C*, Chuang C-F*. The microRNA mir-71 inhibits calcium signaling by targeting the TIR-1/Sarm1 adaptor protein to control stochastic L/R neuronal asymmetry in C. elegans. PLoS Genetics 8(8), research article e1002864, Aug 2. 2012. *Co-corresponding authors
Schumacher JA, Hsieh Y-W, Chen S, Pirri JK, Alkema MJ, Li W-H, Chang C*, Chuang C-F*. Intercellular calcium signaling in a gap junction-coupled cell network establishes asymmetric neuronal fates in C. elegans. Development 139, 4191-4201. 2012. *Co-corresponding authors
2011
Chiu H, Alqadah A, Chuang C-F, Chang C. C. elegans as a genetic model to identify novel cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying nervous system regeneration. Cell Adhesion & Migration 5, 387-394, 2011.
Chang C, Hsieh Y-W, Lesch BJ, Bargmann CI, Chuang C-F. Microtubule-based localization of a synaptic calcium signaling complex is required for left-right neuronal asymmetry in C. elegans. Development 138, 3509-3518, 2011.
2006-2008
Gabel CV, Antoine F, Chuang CF, Samuel ADT, Chang C. Distinct cellular and molecular mechanisms mediate initial axon development and adult-stage axon regeneration in C. elegans. Development 135, 1129-36, 2008.
Samuel ADT, Chung SH, Clark DA, Gabel CV, Chang C, Murthy V, Mazur E. Femtosecond laser dissection in C. elegans neural circuits. Proceedings of the International Society for Optical Engineering 6108, 6108011-16, 2006.
Postdoctoral Research
Chang C, Adler C, Krause M, Clark S, Hao J, Gertler F, Tessier-Lavigne M*, Bargmann CI*. MIG-10/Lamellipodin and the lipid modulator AGE-1/PI3K promote axon guidance and outgrowth in response to Slit and Netrin. Current Biology 16, 854-62, 2006. *Co-corresponding authors
Chang C, Yu TW, Bargmann CI*, Tessier-Lavigne M*. Inhibition of Netrin-mediated axon attraction by a receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase. Science 305, 103-6, 2004. *Co-corresponding authors
Recommended by Faculty of 1000
Ph.D. Research
Chang C, Werb Z. The many faces of metalloproteases: cell growth, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Trends in Cell Biology 11, S37-43, 2001.
Yoon CH*, Chang C*, Hopper NA*, Lesa GM, Sternberg PW. Requirements of multidomains of SLI-1, a C. elegans homolog of c-Cbl, and an inhibitory tyrosine in LET-23 in regulating vulval differentiation. Molecular Biology of the Cell 11, 4019-31, 2000. *Equal contribution
Chang C, Hopper NA, Sternberg PW. Caenorhabditis elegans SOS-1 is necessary for multiple RAS-mediated developmental signals. EMBO Journal 19, 3283-94, 2000.
Chang C, Sternberg PW. C. elegans vulval development as a model system to study the cancer biology of EGFR signaling. Cancer and Metastasis Reviews 18, 203-13, 1999.
Chang C, Newman AP, Sternberg PW. Reciprocal EGF signaling back to the uterus from the induced C. elegans vulva coordinates morphogenesis of epithelia. Current Biology 9, 237-46, 1999.
Hsieh J, Liu J, Kostas SA, Chang C, Sternberg PW, Fire A. The RING finger/B-box factor TAM-1 and a retinoblastoma-like proteins LIN-35 modulate context-dependent gene silencing in C. elegans. Genes & Development 13, 2958-70, 1999.
Bogarad LD, Arnone MI, Chang C, Davidson EH. Interference with gene regulation in living sea urchin embryos: transcription factor knock out (TKO), a genetically controlled vector for blockade of specific transcription factors . Proc National Academy of Sciences USA 95(25), 14827-32, 1998.