Zhong Lab

Senior Scientist and Principal Investigator: Haining Zhong

Video abstract from our paper in Neuron

Opening graphic from the "A highly sensitive A-kinase activity reporter for imaging neuromodulatory events in awake mice" video abstract in Neuron

"A highly sensitive A-kinase activity reporter for imaging neuromodulatory events in awake mice" appeared in the August 22, 2018 issue of the journal Neuron.

Authors are Lei Ma, Bart C. Jongbloets, Wei-Hong Xiong, Joshua B. Melander, Maozhen Qin, Tess J. Lameyer, Madeleine F. Harrison, Boris V. Zemelman, Tianyi Mao* and Haining Zhong*. (* co-senior authors)

The video is approximately 6 minutes long.

Current lab members

Brecklyn Beighle

Brecklyn Beighle (beighle AT ohsu.edu)
BA, Lewis & Clark College

Brecklyn joined the Zhong lab in June 2023 and plans to ultimately pursue an advanced degree. She graduated from Lewis & Clark College in May 2023 with a B.A. in Biology. Brecklyn worked for a biotech company in the summer of 2022 that developed a compact device to detect viral infections using PCR. She was captain of her college soccer team and continues to play recreationally. Away from work, you can find Brecklyn testing new recipes or running and hiking the local trails.

Cesar Ceballos

Cesar Ceballos (ceballoc AT ohsu.edu)
Ph.D., Sao Paulo University

Cesar joined the Zhong lab in November 2019 as a postdoctoral fellow. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the Sao Paulo University in 2017, where his graduate studies focused on the intrinsic properties of neurons. He did postdoctoral training at Yale University, School of Medicine. Cesar will investigate the signaling pathways related to long term potentiation in single dendritic spines. Outside the lab, Cesar enjoys playing drums.

Lei Ma in the Zhong Lab

Lei Ma (malei AT ohsu.edu)
Ph.D., Peking University

Lei joined the Zhong lab in September 2017 as a postdoctoral fellow. He earned his Ph.D. at the School of Life Science, Peking University, where his graduate studies focused on the function of sleep. Lei found that REM sleep can selectively prune or strengthen certain learning pathways related to new synapse formation. He plans to take advantage of in vivo 2-photon lifetime imaging and the newly improved PKA sensor to study how PKA may contribute to different types of learning. Outside of work, Lei enjoys playing badminton and swimming.

Maozhen Qin in the Mao and Zhong Labs

Maozhen Qin (qinm AT ohsu.edu)
Bachelor in Nursing

Maozhen obtained a bachelor's degree in nursing in China and has been working as a research assistant since 2008. She joined the Mao and Zhong labs in 2011 where she quickly became the "go-to" person for genotyping, culturing slices, performing animal surgeries, and maintaining the inventory of lab supplies. She became lab manager in 2014. Outside of work, Maozhen enjoys camping and hiking.

Takaki Yahiro

Takaki Yahiro (yahiro AT ohsu.edu)
M.D.

Tin-Long Yiu

Tin-Long Yiu (yiu AT ohsu.edu)
B.Sc., University College London

Tin joined the Zhong Lab in summer 2020 as a graduate student. He earned his B.Sc. in Neuroscience from University College London, where he studied the role of Purkinje cell activity in timed sensorimotor association in the laboratory of Professor Michael Häusser. For his graduate work, Tin will use two-photon imaging, Neuropixels recording and optogenetics to investigate how cerebellar computations are influenced by neuromodulation during sensorimotor learning. Outside of the lab, Tin enjoys playing basketball and Go.

Contact information

Lab phone number
503-494-9185

Lab location
Vollum Room 3427 (north)

Faculty support
Teresa Newton
Grants/Contracts Coordinator
Email: newtont@ohsu.edu
Phone: 503-494-5458

Mailing address
Haining Zhong Lab
Vollum Institute, OHSU
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd.
Mail code L474
Portland, OR 97239-3098

Shipping address
Haining Zhong Lab
Vollum Institute, OHSU
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd.
Dock 4, Vollum Rm. 3427
Portland, OR 97239-3098

Vollum Institute

Tall brick building with pointed glass top with a square with picnic tables in front
3232 SW Research Drive
Portland, Oregon 97239
Name Years in Lab Lab Position Current Position
Geng-Lin Li 2011 Research Associate Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Guang Yang 2011–2012 Postdoc Postdoc, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Portland
Brian Long 2010–2013 Postdoc Scientist II, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle
Shane Tillo 2010–2013 NGP Ph.D. Student Principle Investigator, Montana Molecular, LLC
Sheng Miao 2013–2015 Postdoc Postdoc, Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Dale Fortin 2012–2016 Postdoc Adjunct Faculty, Washington State University at Vancouver
Joshua Melander 2014–2017 Research Assistant Graduate Student, Stanford University
Weihong Xiong 2015–2020 Staff Scientist Data science industry
Crystian Massengill 2018–2021 Sr. Research Assistant Graduate Student, Harvard Program in Neuroscience