Dr. Ren’s research is dedicated to investigate the function and mechanism of the non-imaging functions of light. After he received Ph.D. degree from Peking University, he moved to Jinan University and set up his own laboratory. His new laboratory has state-of-the-art equipments with cutting-edge technologies, such as transsynaptic virus tracing, electrophysiology, fiber photometry, and optogenetics/chemogenetics. His research team is aimed at elucidating the function and neural mechanism of light in the modulation of mood-related behaviors. His studies were supported by several grants, including National Natural Science Foundation. His recent works were published in high-profile journals, including Neuron, Nature Communications and Neuropsychopharmacology.
1. Lu Huang#, Tifei Yuan, Minjie Tan, Yue Xi, Yu Hu, Qian Tao, Zhikai Zhao, Jiajun Zheng, Yushui Han, Fuqiang Xu, Minmin Luo, Patricia J. Sollars, Mingliang Pu, Gary E. Pickard, Kwok-Fai So*, Chaoran Ren*. A retinoraphe projection regulates serotonergic activity and looming-evoked defensive behavior. Nature Communications, 2017 (in press). (IF:12.1)
2. Kai Chen, Li Zhang, Minjie Tan, Cora Sau Wan Lai, Ang Li, Chaoran Ren*, Kwok-Fai So*. Treadmill exercise suppressed stress-induced dendritic spine elimination in mouse barrel cortex and improved working memory via BDNF/TrkB pathway. Translational Psychiatry, 2017 Mar. 21;7(3): e1069. (IF:5.5)
3. Zhang T#, Huang L#, Zhang L, Tan M, Pu M, Pickard G, So KF*, Ren C*. ON and OFF retinal ganglion cells differentially regulate serotonergic and GABAergic activity in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Scientific Reports, 2016. (IF:5.2)
4. Li X#, Ren C#, Huang L, et al. The dorsal raphe nucleus receives afferents from alpha-like retinal ganglion cells and intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells in the rat. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2015. (IF:3.4)
5. Ren C#, Luan L#, Wui-Man Lau B, Huang X, Yang J, Zhou Y, et al. Direct Retino-Raphe Projection Alters Serotonergic Tone and Affective Behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2013. (IF:8.7)
