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Minghong Ma, Ph.D.
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Professor of Neuroscience
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Department: Neuroscience
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Graduate Group Affiliations
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- Pharmacology 6b
- Cell and Molecular Biology 64
- Neuroscience e
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Contact information
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110 Johnson Pavilion
50 University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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50 University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Office: (215) 746-2790
32 Fax: 215-573-9050
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32 Fax: 215-573-9050
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Publications
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Education:
21 9 B.S. 17 (Biophysics) c
2b Peking University , 1988.
21 9 M.S. 17 (Biophysics) c
34 Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1991.
21 a Ph.D. 19 (Neuroscience) c
2d Columbia University , 1997.
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Permanent link21 9 B.S. 17 (Biophysics) c
2b Peking University , 1988.
21 9 M.S. 17 (Biophysics) c
34 Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1991.
21 a Ph.D. 19 (Neuroscience) c
2d Columbia University , 1997.
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388 We are interested in how the brain perceives and responds to sensory stimuli in both health and disease. Our research combines studies using animal models (mice) and human tissues. Rodents primarily rely on olfactory cues to guide their behaviors, such as locating food, communicating with conspecifics, and avoiding danger. Odor detection begins with olfactory sensory neurons in the nose, which transmit information to the olfactory bulb and subsequently to multiple cortical and subcortical regions. In addition to detecting odors, olfactory sensory neurons also function as mechanosensors, allowing the nose to convey both odor information and nasal breathing signals to the brain. The olfactory system is tightly interconnected with brain regions involved in cognition and emotion, which may underlie the strong associations between olfactory deficits and various neuropsychiatric disorders.
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20a Our current research focuses on: 1) network connections between the olfactory system and non-olfactory regions (e.g., the prefrontal cortex) and their functions; 2) nose-brain interaction via reciprocal influence of respiration and behavioral/mental state; 3) role of sniffing in neural representation of sensory salience; 4) neural mechanisms underlying interbrain synchrony in socially engaged mice; and 5) effects of clinically relevant drugs on human neocortical and hippocampal neurons in acute brain slices.
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1b RESEARCH TECHNIQUES
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b7 ex vivo and in vivo electrophysiology, Patch-seq, fiber photometry, neural circuit tracing, optogenetics, chemogenetics, mouse behavior, immunohistochemistry, machine learning
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10 JOIN US!
77 We welcome inquiries and applications from students and postdocs. Please contact minghong@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
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Description of Research Expertise
23 RESEARCH INTERESTS8
388 We are interested in how the brain perceives and responds to sensory stimuli in both health and disease. Our research combines studies using animal models (mice) and human tissues. Rodents primarily rely on olfactory cues to guide their behaviors, such as locating food, communicating with conspecifics, and avoiding danger. Odor detection begins with olfactory sensory neurons in the nose, which transmit information to the olfactory bulb and subsequently to multiple cortical and subcortical regions. In addition to detecting odors, olfactory sensory neurons also function as mechanosensors, allowing the nose to convey both odor information and nasal breathing signals to the brain. The olfactory system is tightly interconnected with brain regions involved in cognition and emotion, which may underlie the strong associations between olfactory deficits and various neuropsychiatric disorders.
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20a Our current research focuses on: 1) network connections between the olfactory system and non-olfactory regions (e.g., the prefrontal cortex) and their functions; 2) nose-brain interaction via reciprocal influence of respiration and behavioral/mental state; 3) role of sniffing in neural representation of sensory salience; 4) neural mechanisms underlying interbrain synchrony in socially engaged mice; and 5) effects of clinically relevant drugs on human neocortical and hippocampal neurons in acute brain slices.
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b7 ex vivo and in vivo electrophysiology, Patch-seq, fiber photometry, neural circuit tracing, optogenetics, chemogenetics, mouse behavior, immunohistochemistry, machine learning
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10 JOIN US!
77 We welcome inquiries and applications from students and postdocs. Please contact minghong@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
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11f Schreck MR*, Zhuang L, Janke E, Moberly AH, Bhattarai JP, Gottfried JA, Wesson DW, Ma M*.: State-dependent olfactory processing in freely behaving mice. Cell Reports 38: 110450, 2022. Notes: *corresponding authors.
1ed Zhang YF, Vargas Cifuentes L†, Wright KN†, Bhattarai JP†, Mohrhardt J†, Fleck D†, Janke E, Jiang C, Cranfill SL, Goldstein N, Schreck M, Moberly AH, Yu Y, Arenkiel BR, Betley JN, Luo W, Stegmaier J, Wesson DW*, Spehr M*, Fuccillo MV*, Ma M*.: Ventral striatal islands of Calleja neurons control grooming in mice. Nature Neuroscience 24: 1699-1710, 2021. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
10b Bhattarai JP*, Schreck M, Moberly AH, Luo W, Ma M* : Aversive learning increases release probability of olfactory sensory neurons. Current Biology 30: 31-41, 2020. Notes: *corresponding authors.
13c Moberly AH*, Schreck M, Bhattarai JP, Zweifel LS, Luo W, Ma M*: Olfactory inputs modulate respiration-related rhythmic activity in the prefrontal cortex and freezing behavior. Nature Communications 9: 1528, 2018. Notes: *corresponding authors.
176 Yu Y†*, Moberly AH†, Bhattarai JP, Duan C, Zheng Q, Li F, Huang H, Olson W, Luo W, Wen T, Yu H, Ma M*: The stem cell marker Lgr5 defines a subset of postmitotic neurons in the olfactory bulb. Journal of Neuroscience 37(39): 9403-9414, 2017. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
14e Connelly T†, Yu Y†, Grosmaitre X, Wang J, Santarelli LC, Savigner A, Qiao X, Wang Z, Storm DR, Ma M: G Protein-coupled odorant receptors underlie mechanosensitivity in mammalian olfactory sensory neurons. PNAS 112: 590-5, 2015. Notes: †equal contribution.
15d Yu Y†, de March CA†, Ni MJ, Adipietro KA, Golebiowski J*, Matsunami H*, Ma M* : Responsiveness of G protein-coupled odorant receptors is partially attributed to the activation mechanism. PNAS 112: 14966-14971, 2015. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
1c7 Challis RC, Tian H, Wang J, He J, Jiang J, Chen X, Yin W, Connelly T, Ma L, Yu CR, Pluznick JL, Storm DR, Huang L, Zhao K, Ma M: An olfactory cilia pattern in the mammalian nose ensures high sensitivity to odors. Current Biology 25: 2503-2512, 2015. Notes: Commented by Wall CM and Zhao H (2015) Sensory Biology: Novel Peripheral Organization for Better Smell. Curr Biol. 25:R833-6.
150 de March CA†, Yu Y†, Ni MJ, Adipietro KA, Matsunami H*, Ma M*, Golebiowski J*: Conserved residues control activation of mammalian G Protein-coupled odorant receptors. J Am Chem Soc 137: 8611-8616, 2015. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
156 Jiang Y†, Li YR†, Tian H, Ma M*, Matsunami H*: Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M3 modulates odorant receptor activity via inhibition of β-Arrestin-2 recruitment. Nature Communications 6: 6448 (1-15), 2015. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
110 Lee AC, He J and Ma M: Olfactory Marker Protein Is Critical for Functional Maturation of Olfactory Sensory Neurons and Development of Mother Preference. Journal of Neuroscience 31: 2974–2982, 2011.
d7 Tan J, Savigner A, Ma M and Luo M: Odor information processing by the olfactory bulb analyzed in gene-targeted mice. Neuron 65: 912-926, 2010.
14c Grosmaitre X, Santarelli LC, Tan J, Luo M and Ma M: Dual functions of mammalian olfactory sensory neurons as odor detectors and mechanical sensors. Nature Neuroscience 10: 348-354, 2007. Notes: Featured in Research Highlights in Nature (March 1, 2007), 446:5.
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Selected Publications
1b4 Zhang Y-F*, Wu J†, Wang Y†, Johnson NL†, Bhattarai JP†, Li G, Wang W, Guevara C, Shoenhard H, Fuccillo V, Wesson DW, Ma M*: Ventral striatal islands of Calleja neurons bidirectionally mediate depression-like behaviors in mice. Nature Communications, 14: 6887. Nature Communications 14: 6887, 2023. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.11f Schreck MR*, Zhuang L, Janke E, Moberly AH, Bhattarai JP, Gottfried JA, Wesson DW, Ma M*.: State-dependent olfactory processing in freely behaving mice. Cell Reports 38: 110450, 2022. Notes: *corresponding authors.
1ed Zhang YF, Vargas Cifuentes L†, Wright KN†, Bhattarai JP†, Mohrhardt J†, Fleck D†, Janke E, Jiang C, Cranfill SL, Goldstein N, Schreck M, Moberly AH, Yu Y, Arenkiel BR, Betley JN, Luo W, Stegmaier J, Wesson DW*, Spehr M*, Fuccillo MV*, Ma M*.: Ventral striatal islands of Calleja neurons control grooming in mice. Nature Neuroscience 24: 1699-1710, 2021. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
10b Bhattarai JP*, Schreck M, Moberly AH, Luo W, Ma M* : Aversive learning increases release probability of olfactory sensory neurons. Current Biology 30: 31-41, 2020. Notes: *corresponding authors.
13c Moberly AH*, Schreck M, Bhattarai JP, Zweifel LS, Luo W, Ma M*: Olfactory inputs modulate respiration-related rhythmic activity in the prefrontal cortex and freezing behavior. Nature Communications 9: 1528, 2018. Notes: *corresponding authors.
176 Yu Y†*, Moberly AH†, Bhattarai JP, Duan C, Zheng Q, Li F, Huang H, Olson W, Luo W, Wen T, Yu H, Ma M*: The stem cell marker Lgr5 defines a subset of postmitotic neurons in the olfactory bulb. Journal of Neuroscience 37(39): 9403-9414, 2017. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
14e Connelly T†, Yu Y†, Grosmaitre X, Wang J, Santarelli LC, Savigner A, Qiao X, Wang Z, Storm DR, Ma M: G Protein-coupled odorant receptors underlie mechanosensitivity in mammalian olfactory sensory neurons. PNAS 112: 590-5, 2015. Notes: †equal contribution.
15d Yu Y†, de March CA†, Ni MJ, Adipietro KA, Golebiowski J*, Matsunami H*, Ma M* : Responsiveness of G protein-coupled odorant receptors is partially attributed to the activation mechanism. PNAS 112: 14966-14971, 2015. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
1c7 Challis RC, Tian H, Wang J, He J, Jiang J, Chen X, Yin W, Connelly T, Ma L, Yu CR, Pluznick JL, Storm DR, Huang L, Zhao K, Ma M: An olfactory cilia pattern in the mammalian nose ensures high sensitivity to odors. Current Biology 25: 2503-2512, 2015. Notes: Commented by Wall CM and Zhao H (2015) Sensory Biology: Novel Peripheral Organization for Better Smell. Curr Biol. 25:R833-6.
150 de March CA†, Yu Y†, Ni MJ, Adipietro KA, Matsunami H*, Ma M*, Golebiowski J*: Conserved residues control activation of mammalian G Protein-coupled odorant receptors. J Am Chem Soc 137: 8611-8616, 2015. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
156 Jiang Y†, Li YR†, Tian H, Ma M*, Matsunami H*: Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M3 modulates odorant receptor activity via inhibition of β-Arrestin-2 recruitment. Nature Communications 6: 6448 (1-15), 2015. Notes: †equal contribution and *corresponding authors.
110 Lee AC, He J and Ma M: Olfactory Marker Protein Is Critical for Functional Maturation of Olfactory Sensory Neurons and Development of Mother Preference. Journal of Neuroscience 31: 2974–2982, 2011.
d7 Tan J, Savigner A, Ma M and Luo M: Odor information processing by the olfactory bulb analyzed in gene-targeted mice. Neuron 65: 912-926, 2010.
14c Grosmaitre X, Santarelli LC, Tan J, Luo M and Ma M: Dual functions of mammalian olfactory sensory neurons as odor detectors and mechanical sensors. Nature Neuroscience 10: 348-354, 2007. Notes: Featured in Research Highlights in Nature (March 1, 2007), 446:5.
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