Neuroscience at The University of Chicago

Research Interests

Our long-term research interest is to understand the molecular basis of neuronal function under normal and certain diseased conditions.  The major neurobiological problem that we have been working on is the molecular basis of dopaminergic function and drug addiction.  We make genetically engineered mouse models and use behavioral, histological and molecular biological methods in our investigations.

Back to top

Select Publications

Zhang, J., Zhang, D., McQuade, J.M.S., Behbehani, M., Tsien, J. and Xu, M. (2002) c-fos is a genetic regulator in cellular mechanisms mediating neuronal excitability and survival. Nature Genetics 30: 416-420.

Zhang, D., Zhang, L., Lou, D., Nakabeppu, Y., Zhang, J. and Xu, M. (2002) The dopamine D1 receptor is a critical mediator for cocaine-induced gene expression. J. Neurochem. 82: 1453-1464.

Zhang, L., Lou, D., Jiao, H., Zhang, D., Wang, X., Ying, X., Zhang, J. and Xu, M. (2004). Cocaine-induced intracellular signaling and gene expression are oppositely regulated by the dopamine D1 and D3 receptors. J. Neurosci. 24: 3344-3354.

Zhang, D., Zhang, L., Tang, Y., Zhang, Q., Lou, D., Sharp, F.R., Zhang, J. and Xu, M. (2005) Repeated cocaine administration induces gene expression changes through the dopamine D1 receptors. Neuropsychopharmacol. 30: 1443-1454.

Zhang, J., Zhang, L., Jiao, H., Zhang, Q., Zhang, D., Lou, D., Katz, J., and Xu, M. (2006) c-fos facilitates acquisition and extinction of cocaine-induced persistent change. J. Neurosci. 26: 13287-13296.

Jiao, H., Zhang, L., Gao, F., Lou, D., Zhang, J. and Xu, M. (2007) Dopamine D1 and D3 receptors oppositely regulate NMDA- and cocaine-induced MAPK signaling via NMDA receptor phosphorylation. J. Neurochem. 103: 840-848.

Caine, S.B., Thomsen, M., Gabriel, K.I., Berkowitz, J.S., Gold, L.H., Koob, G.F., Tonegawa, S., Zhang, J. and Xu, M. (2007) Decreased cocaine self-administration in dopamine D-1 receptor knockout mice. J. Neurosci. 27: 13140-13150.

Hu, X.T., Nasif, F.J., Zhang, J. and Xu, M. (2008) Fos regulates neuronal activity in the nucleus accumbens. Neurosci. Letters 448: 157–160.

Liu, X., Mao, L., Zhang, G., Papasian, C.J., Fibuch, E.E., Lan, H., Zhou, H., Xu, M.* and Wang, J.Q.* (2009) Activity-dependent modulation of limbic dopamine D3 receptors by CaMKII. Neuron 61: 425-438.