Education:
PhD, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
Fellowship:
Post-Doctoral Fellowship:
- UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
Clinical/Research Interests:
Our Research:
Our lab investigates the brain mechanisms that maintain physiological homeostasis, with a particular emphasis on the hypothalamus – a key brain region orchestrating vital functions such as feeding, energy balance, sleep-wake cycles, and sympathetic activity. We are especially interested in identifying the specific hypothalamic circuits and intracellular signaling pathways that govern these complex physiological processes. By dissecting the neural and molecular underpinnings of these regulatory systems, we aim to uncover novel brain circuits and therapeutic targets for obesity and its related comorbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, and sleep disorders. Our ultimate mission is to translate these findings into innovative, circuit- and molecular-based treatments for these clinical challenges.
Our Approach:
To achieve our research goal, we leverage a multidisciplinary approach that combines advanced genetic models (including diverse transgenic mouse lines) with state-of-the-art neuroscience tools such as optogenetics, chemogenetics, in vivo calcium imaging, and patch-clamp electrophysiology. These are integrated with sophisticated and comprehensive behavioral and physiological phenotyping platforms to provide a system-level understanding of brain-body interactions.
Join Our Team:
We welcome highly motivated students and fellows who are passionate about neuroscience, physiology, and translational medicine to join our dynamic and collaborative team.
Select Publications:
Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/huxing.cui.1/bibliography/public/