Research
Synapse is a communicating contact between two neurons or a neuron and its target cell. It’s a fundamental unit of neural circuitry and enables complex behaviors. Neuromuscular junction is the synapse between motoneuron and skeleton muscle, controlling our movement. My researches try to better understand
1, The mechanisms of synapse formation and synaptic plasticity;
2. The establishment of moto circuits

3. The pathogenesis of neurological disorder such as Myasthenia gravis (MG), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and their translational medicine research.

Selective publication
1. Tao Y*, Shen C*,# Luo S*, Traoré W*, Marchetto S, Santoni MJ, Xu L, Wu B, Shi C, Mei J, Bates R, Liu X, Zhao K, Xiong WC, Borg JP#, Mei L#. Role of Erbin in ErbB2-dependent breast tumor growth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 111(42):4429-38, 2014 (*,co-first author; #, co-corresponding author).
2. Shen C, Xiong WC, Mei L. Caspase-3, Shears for Synapse Pruning. Developmental Cell. 28:604-606, 2014.
3. Zhang B*, Shen C*, Bealmear B, Ragheb S, Xiong WC, Lewis R, Mei L. Autoantibodies to agrin in myasthenia gravis patients. PLOS.One. 9(3), 2014 (*, co-first author).
4. Shen C*, Lu Y*, Zhang B*, Figueiredo D, Bean J, Jung J, Wu H, Barik A, Yin DM, Xiong WC, Mei L. Antibodies against low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 induce myasthenia gravis. Journal of Clinical Investigation 123:5190-202, 2013.
5. Tao Y*, Chen YJ*, Shen C*, Luo Z, Bates C, Lee D, Marchetto S, Gao TM, Borg JP, Xiong WC, Mei L. Erbin interacts with TARP gamma-2 for surface expression of AMPA receptors in cortical interneurons. Nature Neuroscience.16:290-299, 2013 (*,co-first author).
6. Shen C, Chen Y, Liu H, Zhang K, Zhang T, Lin A, Jing N. Hydrogen peroxide promotes Abeta production through JNK-dependent activation of gamma-secretase. J Biol Chem. 283:17721-30, 2008.