| | Staff Scientists and Clinicians
| Guang Chen,
M.D., Ph.D. |
 |
|
Dr.
Chen is the chief of the Unit
on Molecular Neurotherapeutics, Laboratory of Molecular
Pathophysiology, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program,
NIMH, NIH. He received his medical degree from the Peking
University Medical Science Center and obtained his Ph.D.
training and psychiatry residency training from the Institute
of Mental Health, Peking University. He completed his
postdoctoral training in William Z Potter's laboratory
at NIMH. He was an Assistant professor and Associate Director
of the Mood-disorders and Schizophrenia program at Wayne
State University School of Medicine before he re-jointed
NIMH. Dr. Chen recently received an Independent Investigator
Award from NARSAD. |
| Research Interests |
Dr.
Chen 's research has been focused on the pathophysiology
and the therapeutic mechanisms of mood-disorders, especially
manic-depressive illness. Given the clinical and neurobiological
complexity of bipolar mood-disorder, he utilizes the integrated
molecular biology, pharmacology and behavior approach
to reveal the molecules involved modulation of manic-like
and depressive-like behavior states in animal. The specific
interests include:
1. The effects of genetic (knockout and controlled gene
expression) and biological manipulations of the ERK pathway
on manic or depression-like behavior states in animal;
2. Cell signaling pathway(s) involved in neurogenesis
and neurite growth and the roles of neurogenesis and neurite
growth in therapeutic actions of mood-stabilizers and
the pathophysiology of mood-disorders;
3. Induction of and "nature occurring" manic
and depression-like behavior states in animal and investigation
of the molecular and cellular changes associated with
such behavior states in regions of brain involved in mood-modulation. |
| Representative Selected Recent Publications: |
- Yuan PX, Huang LD,
Jiang YM, Gutkind JS, Manji HK, Chen G: The
mood stabilizer valproic acid activates mitogen-activated
protein kinases and promotes neurite growth. J
Biol Chem 2001 Aug 24;276(34):31674-83
- Chen G, Rajkowska G,
Du F, Seraji-Bozorgzad N, Manji HK: Enhancement
of hippocampal neurogenesis by lithium. J
Neurochem 2000 Oct;75(4):1729-34
- Chen G, Zeng WZ, Yuan
PX, Huang LD, Jiang YM, Zhao ZH, Manji HK:
The mood-stabilizing agents lithium and valproate
robustly increase the levels of the neuroprotective
protein bcl-2 in the CNS. J
Neurochem 1999 Feb;72(2):879-82
- Chen G, Yuan PX, Jiang
YM, Huang LD, Manji HK: Lithium increases tyrosine
hydroxylase levels both in vivo and in vitro. J
Neurochem 1998 Apr;70(4):1768-71
- Chen G, Manji HK, Hawver
DB, Wright CB, Potter WZ: Chronic sodium valproate
selectively decreases protein kinase C alpha and epsilon
in vitro. J
Neurochem 1994 Dec;63(6):2361-4
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