Chuchu Zhang, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Physiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, has been awarded a Hypothesis Fund seed grant for her innovative research project, "Exploring interoceptive sensory logic reshaped by pregnancy."
Dr. Zhang's project builds upon her expertise in the sensory neuroscience of nausea and visceral sensations, with the potential to open new avenues of understanding in the intersection of neuroscience, sensory perception, and reproductive health. The Zhang Lab's research focuses on the neural mechanisms of nausea and interoception, including the peripheral sensory mechanisms of nausea in clinically relevant conditions such as pregnancy, food allergy, and radiation.
“Dr. Zhang will investigate how sensory adaptation mechanisms in brainstem neurons could impact the rules that govern interoception (how the body senses internal state and responds),” said Dr. Elaine Hsiao, Hypothesis Fund Scout and De Logi Associate Professor of Biological Sciences in the Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology at UCLA. “Her research could add a paradigm-shifting point to the study of interoception coding in the brainstem and reveal insights into how malfunctions in these processes can lead to feeding disorders, pregnancy complications, and significantly impact quality of life."
Dr. Zhang received her B.S. in Biochemistry from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of California, San Francisco, where she worked with Dr. David Julius studying pain-producing toxins from venomous animals. She carried out her postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Stephen Liberles at Harvard Medical School, where she began her independent trajectory to study nausea. The Zhang Lab opened in September 2023 at UCLA and focuses on the molecular and circuit mechanisms of nausea.
"Interoception is a truly captivating area in neuroscience, and Dr. Zhang’s research is poised to unlock new fundamental understanding for the field,” said David Sanford, Founder & CEO of the Hypothesis Fund. “We're excited to back this project, chosen for her bold vision and the significant potential long-term impact it could yield.”
