Associate investigator at Shenzhen Institute for advanced technology (SIAT) CAS since Nov 2020, Shenzhen, China
2019-2020, Postdoctoral Fellow, Sickkids Hospital Toronto, Canada
2014-2017, Postdoctoral Fellow, Charite Berlin, Germany
2010-2013, PhD, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Germany
2005-2007, Master in Biochemistry, Yang-Ming University, Taiwan
2001-2005, Bachelor in Life science, Cheng-Kung University, Taiwan

We are interested in understanding the molecular mechanism of synaptic transmission and plasticity. Specifically, we focus on the synaptic proteins that are intrinsically disordered (IDP). IDP are proteins that lack stable three-dimensional structure and are widespread in human proteome. We ask how these proteins can execute their function without a fixed structure, how they dynamically regulate the efficiency of synaptic transmission and control plasticity? Using genetic modified mice, two-photon imaging, electrophysiology, time resolved electron microscopy, we aim to gain insights into their function and add our knowledge in the molecular mechanism that underlies synaptic plasticity.

1. JJian Jiang, Dilong Wang, Youheng Jiang, Xiuyan Yang, Runfeng Sun, Jinlong Chang, Wenhui Zhu,Peijia Yao,Kun Song, Shuwen Chang#,Hong Wang, Lei Zhou, Xue-Song Zhang,Huiliang Li, and Ningning Li. The gut metabolite indole-3-propionic acid activates ERK1 to restore social function and hippocampal inhibitory synaptic transmission in a 16p11.2 microdeletion mouse model. Microbiome 2024

2. Shoupeng Wei, Jian Jiang, Dilong Wang, Jinlong Chang, Liusuyan Tian, Xiuyan Yang, Xiao-Ru Ma, Jing-Wei Zhao, Yiming Li, Shuwen Chang#, Xinjin Chi, Huiliang Li, Ningning Li. GPR158 in pyramidal neurons mediates social novelty behavior via modulating synaptic transmission in male mice. Cell Reports 2024

3. Noa Lipstein; Shuwen Chang#; Kun-Han Lin; Francisco Jose´ Lo´ pez-Murcia; Erwin Neher; Holger Taschenberger; Nils Brose Munc13-1 is a Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent vesicle priming hub that shapes synaptic short-term plasticity and enables sustained neurotransmission. Neuron 2021

4.Shuwen Chang#, Thorsten Trimbuch, Christian Rosenmund Synaptotagmin 1 drives synchronous Ca2+ triggered fusion by C2B domain mediated synaptic vesicle membrane attachment. Nature Neuroscience 2018

5.Marcial Camacho, Jayeeta Basu, Thorsten Trimbuch, Shuwen Chang#, Cristina Pulido-Lozano, Shwu-Shin Chang, Irina Duluvova, Masin Abo-Rady, Josep Rizo & Christian Rosenmund. Heterodimerization of Munc13 C(2)A domain with RIM regulates synaptic vesicle docking and priming.Nature Communications. 2017

She has been the principal investigator of projects including the General Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the General Program of Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, the Shenzhen General Program, the 100-Talent Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences Youth Talent Program for Taiwan, the Excellent Youth Innovation Fund of Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, CAS, and the German Research Foundation (DFG). Her research achievements have been published in journals including Nature Neuroscience, Neuron, Nature Communications, and The Journal of Neuroscience.