Ming Lab

Guo-li Ming, MD, PhD
Perelman Professor of Neuroscience
 gming@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Hongjun Song, PhD
Perelman Professor of Neuroscience
 shongjun@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Website: Song Lab

Kimberly Christian, PhD
Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience
 kchristi@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Yijing Su, PhD
Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience
 yijingsu@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

My research focuses on understanding epigenetic changes during neuronal activation and its role in neuronal function in both population and single cell levels.

Brian Temsamrit, BS
Lab Manager
 Brian.Temsamrit@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I graduated from the University of the Sciences in 2017 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience. I have a background in research observing the prion like transfer of aggregation in drosophila brains and looking at the relationship between pain and decision making. Currently, I'm exploring the different topics involved in neuroscience research with hopes of pursuing an advance degree in the future. Outside of research I enjoy skate boarding and long romantic walks to the fridge.

Emma LaNoce, MES
Lab Manager
 Emma.Lanoce@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I received a bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, and sociology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2018 and a master's in environmental studies from Penn in 2022. I assist with the lab’s research on disruptions of human brain development using organoids. When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy hiking, cooking, and spending too much money on my house plants.

Angelina Angelucci, BS
Lab Technician
 Angelina.Angelucci@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I graduated from Temple University in December 2017 with a degree in Biology with Teaching. After a year of teaching high school students in Biology and special education General Sciences, I worked as a Laboratory Technician for the University of Virginia department of Immunology. My research includes studying the host innate immune response to zika virus infection in macrophage and mouse models. Currently, I provide administrative support for the lab here at Penn. Outside of the lab I crochet, knit, and tend to my vegetable garden. 

Allison Bond, PhD
 ambond1@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I am interested in understanding how adult stem cells retain the capacity to generate new mature cell types throughout the life of an organism. My research in the lab focuses on adult neural stem cells in the hippocampus, and investigates the role of quiescence in maintaining the adult stem cell pool.

Dennisse Jimenez-Cyrus, PhD
 jimenden@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Feng Zhang, PhD
 feng.zhang@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I am a new postdoc here, and I am trying to discover something new and interesting in neuroscience.

Qian Yang, PhD
 qian.yang@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I was trained in molecular biology studying translational and transcriptional regulations on gene expression. I am applying my skills to tackle problems in neurological disorders. I am interested in uncovering the underlying mechanisms of mental disorders.

Ricky O'Laughlin, PhD
 richard.olaughlin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Sang Hoon Kim, PhD
 skim1@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

My current research focus is to investigate the functional role of adult neurogenesis in hippocampus. By combining optogenetics with in vivo extracelluar recording, I have been characterizing spatial selectivity and remapping properties of newborn neurons. I am also interested in understanding how the continuous birth and integration of new cohorts of neurons affect the dynamic properties of local circuitry.

Ting Zhao, PhD
 tzhao5@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I am not only interested in using iPSCs to model neurological disorders, but also interested in employing new techniques for the proteomics study. When I am free, I like watching movies and hiking with my wife. I enjoy life in Philadelphia, where a lot of fancy Chinese restaurants are located.

Valentina Ignatova, PhD
 valentina.ignatova@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Vijay Adusumilli, PhD
 vijayasubbara.adusumilli@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

A biological feature I (quite literally) associate with is cellular quiescence, a state which can broadly be defined as permissive for cell cycle entry, without being in active growth cycle. While quiescence can be studied in a lot of contexts, neural stem cells achieve, regulate their quiescence, and cell cycle entry in truly unique ways. These mechanisms and the reciprocal effect of the macroenvironment on adult neurogenesis are what I am interested in studying. You might find me talking about these paradigms on hikes, at the pub, while gardening and during improv classes too

Xiaoyan Yu, PhD
 xiaoyan.yu.pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I am a postdoctoral researcher joining the lab in 2023. My research focuses on how newborn neurons integrate with different cell types and function in local circuitries using in vivo recording and optogenetics. I am also studying the involvement of neurogenesis in neurological diseases.

Xin Wang, PhD
 xin.wang@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I did my PhD in Penn State, working on the neuronal conversion of cultured human glioblastoma cells and underlying molecules mechanisms. During my postdoc, I will focus on investigating the patient-derived glioblastoma organoids, which provide a powerful system to capture the diversity of glioblastoma and test different therapeutic strategies at the same time. In my spare time, I like hiking, reading, swimming, and tennis.

Xuan Ming, PhD
 xuan.ming@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I joined the lab in the spring of 2022. My projects focus on studying how epigenetic mechanisms regulate neuronal maturation and function. When I am free, I like to chat with my family and friends, and do some sports.

Yachen Shen, PhD
 yachen.shen@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Yan Hong, PhD
 yhong31@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I am interested in modeling human neurological disorders using iPSC models to unveil the molecular pathways and mechanisms underlying these disorders. In my spare time, I love watching movies with my husband. I also enjoy cooking, which helps me relax and provides a good way to gather around a table with family and friends.

Yi (Joey) Zhou, PhD
 yzhou1@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I am a postdoctoral neuroscientist who develops multidisciplinary approaches to understand the brain and brain repair. I am particularly passionate about stem cells, brain development and diseases, and single-cell genomics.

Zhijian Zhang, PhD
 zhijian.zhang@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Before joining the lab in 2019, I was experienced in revealing neural circuitry basis for naturalistic behaviors and diseases using viral tools and some other techniques, such as opto-/chemo-genetics, calcium dependent optometry, etc. My long-term goal is to understand circuitry mechanisms underlying neural development to identify an etiology of mental disorders. I may focus on investigating the circuit connections of developing neural stem cells or brain organoids to achieve this goal. My favorite sport is swimming. I believe I'll enjoy my life in Philadelphia.

Angela Bongiovanni, BS
PhD Student - Neuroscience Graduate Group
 angela.bongiovanni@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Ronni Kurzion, BA
PhD Student - Neuroscience Graduate Group
 ronni.kurzion@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I am interested in the formation of neural networks in organoids. I would also like to investigate the mechanisms underlying disorders that arise from deviations in network formation. In my free time, I like to read, play piano, and hike.

Yusha Sun, BS
MD/PhD Student - Neuroscience Graduate Group
 yusha.sun@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

I am interested in studying the molecular heterogeneity and microenvironment of glioblastoma, combining single-cell genomics and circuit neuroscience. Outside of the lab, I enjoy running, badminton, and playing the piano.

Mariko Bennett, MD/PhD
Clinical Fellow

I'm a Child Neurology resident at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In the Song-Ming lab, I've continued my work to understand the function of microglia in health and disease, with the goal of creating neurotherapeutics for acquired and genetic pediatric neuroimmunological diseases.