Research Interests

• Research in my lab centers on the molecular mechanism of neurotransmission that occurs at the chemical synapses. Human nervous system is a sophisticated network formed by billions of neurons, where they communicate with each other at synapses. These processes, termed as neurotransmission, are the basic events of nervous system activities, comprising the foundation for sensation, motor skills, thinking, learning and memory. Accumulated action potentials at the presynaptic terminus can activate voltage-gated calcium channels and in turn trigger the release of neurotransmitters to the synaptic cleft, where neurotransmitters binds to and activate ligand-gated ion channels located at post-synaptic densities, converting the signal from electrical to chemical, and eventually back to electrical form in the neuron downstream. Various neurological disorders such as chronic pain, seizure, ataxia epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and more are known to be associated with malfunction of neurotransmission.

• My lab investigates important ion channels in the chemical synapses, utilizing multidisciplinary approaches including cryo-electronmicroscopy, electrophysiology, biophysics and biochemistry. We aim to reveal the molecular mechanisms for the gating and regulation of these ion channels.

Education and Work Experience

• Sept. 2019 – present: Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Principle Investigator

• Aug. 2014 – Aug. 2019: Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University (USA), Postdoctoral Fellow

• Sept. 2013 – Jul. 2014: Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University/HHMI (USA), Postdoctoral Associate

• Aug. 2008 – Aug. 2013: Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University (USA), Ph.D.

• Sept. 2004 – Jun. 2008: Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, B.S.

Selected Publications

1. Shanshuang Chen and Eric Gouaux, “Structure and mechanism of AMPA receptor – auxiliary protein complexes”, Review, Current Opinion in Structural Biology, Volume 54, Pages 104-111 (2019).

2. Shanshuang Chen*, Yan Zhao*, Yuhang Steven Wang, Mrinal Shekhar, Emad Tajkhorshid and Eric Gouaux, “Activation and desensitization mechanism of AMPA receptor – TARP complex by cryo-EM”, Cell, Volume 170, Issue 6, p1234–1246.e14 (2017). [*Co-first authors]

3. Yan Zhao*, Shanshuang Chen*, Craig Yoshioka, Isabelle Baconguis and Eric Gouaux, “Architecture of fully occupied GluA2 AMPA receptor – TARP complex elucidated by cryo-EM”, Nature 536, 108–111 (2016). [*Co-first authors]

4. Shanshuang Chen, Michael L. Oldham, Amy L. Davidson, and Jue Chen, “Carbon catabolite repression of the maltose transporter revealed by X-ray crystallography”, Nature 499, 364-368 (2013).

5. Michael L. Oldham, Shanshuang Chen, and Jue Chen, “Structural basis for substrate specificity in the E. coli maltose transport system”, PNAS, 2013 Nov 5, 110(45):18132-7.