Wei-Chun Wang

Educational Background

• B.S., National Taiwan Normal University
• M.S., National Taiwan University
• Ph. D., Northwestern University
• Post-doctoral Associate, Oregon Health & Science University, University of Utah

Teaching Interests

• Developmental Neurobiology (BIOL332/ NEUR332)
• Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (BIOL319)

Research Interests

The ability of animals to produce appropriate locomotor behaviors with different patterns and intensities determines their chance to survive and thrive. From finely tuned maneuvers for navigating through complex environments to fast escape behaviors for quickly getting away from predators, locomotion must be appropriately tuned according to external sensory inputs or internal states. Motor neurons and muscle fibers form the final station for motor outputs, and so exploring the organization and physiology of these two key components will provide valuable insights for our understanding of motor control. My research lab uses larval zebrafish as the animal model to study how regulation of neuromuscular interactions meet the constantly changing demands of the environment.

Selected Publications

Barrios JP, Wang W-C, England R, Reifenberg E, Douglass AD (2020) Hypothalamic dopamine neurons control sensorimotor behavior by modulating brainstem premotor nuclei in zebrafish. Current Biology 30:1-13

Wee CL, Nikitchenko M, Wang W-C, Luks-Morgan SJ, Song E, Gagnon JA, Randlett O, Bianco IH, Lacoste AMB, Glushenkova E, Barrios JP, Schier AF, Kunes S, Engert F, Douglass AD (2019) Zebrafish oxytocin neurons drive nocifensive behavior via brainstem premotor targets. Nature Neuroscience 22(9):1477-1492

Wang W-C, Brehm P (2017) A gradient in synaptic strength and plasticity among motoneurons provides a peripheral mechanism for locomotor control. Current Biology 27(3):415-422

Wen H, Hubbard JM, Wang W-C, Brehm P (2016) Fatigue in rapsyn-deficient zebrafish reflects defective transmitter release. The Journal of Neuroscience 36(42):10870-10882

Wang W-C, McLean DL (2014) Selective responses to tonic descending commands by temporal summation in a spinal motor pool. Neuron 83(3):708-721