Dong Wang

Dong Wang, PhD

Assistant Professor


Department: Neurobiology & Anatomy

Education

  • PhD - East China Normal University, Shanghai (2004-2007), Boston University (2007), Augusta University (2007-2011)
  • Bachelor's Degree - East China Normal University, Shanghai (2000-2004)

Awards & Honors

  • Travel Award, Fellows Award for Research Excellence, NIH (2014)
  • Outstanding Poster, Poster Day and Mentoring Awards, NIH (2014)
  • Travel Award, Fellows Award for Research Excellence, NIH (2013)
  • Travel Award, SENN - GA/SC Neuroscience Consortium (2010)

Memberships / Professional Affiliations

  • Society for Neuroscience (2008–present)
  • Molecular and Cellular Cognition Society (2012–present)

Dong Wang, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy at Drexel University College of Medicine.

Research Interests

Neural ensemble dynamics underlying learning and memory consolidation; emotion; learning and memory; neurobiology; prefrontal neuronal circuitry; sleep neurobiology; systems neurobiology

Research

Dr. Wang's lab employs a multi-disciplinary approach including optogenetics, in vivo electrophysiology and in vivo calcium imaging techniques to investigate the neural ensemble dynamics underlying learning and memory consolidation. In particular, the lab focuses on the circuitry of the hippocampus and anatomically connected regions in learning and memory processes, and how alterations in these connections affect behavior. They also aim to discover ways by which learning and memory can be enhanced or weakened, and to develop innovative therapies for treatment of memory disorders such as amnesia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In the Media

"Researchers Pinpoint Fear of Heights in the Brain"
BrainFacts/SfN (January 12, 2021)

Publications

“Emerging many-to-one weighted mapping in hippocampus-amygdala network underlies memory formation”
Liu, J., Hall, A.F. & Wang, D.V.
Nat Commun 15, 9248 (2024)

"The two tales of hippocampal sharp-wave ripple content: The rigid and the plastic"
Arron F. Hall and Dong V. Wang
Progress in Neurobiology, Volume 221, 102396, ISSN 0301-0082, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102396 (2023)

"Medial prefrontal cortex and anteromedial thalamus interaction regulates goal-directed behavior and dopaminergic neuron activity"
Chen Yang, Yuzheng Hu, Aleksandr D. Talishinsky, Christian T. Potter, Coleman B. Calva, Leslie A. Ramsey, Andrew J. Kesner, Reuben F. Don, Sue Junn, Aaron Tan, Anne F. Pierce, Céline Nicolas, Yosuke Arima, Seung-Chan Lee, Conghui Su, Jensine M. Coudriet, Carlos A. Mejia-Aponte, Dong V. Wang, Hanbing Lu, Yihong Yang and Satoshi Ikemoto
Nature Communications, volume 13, Article number: 1386 (2022)

"Median raphe non-serotonergic neurons modulate hippocampal theta oscillations"
Wen-qiang Huang, Satoshi Ikemoto and Dong V Wang
Journal of Neuroscience 21 January 2022, JN-RM-1536-21; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1536-21.2022 (2022)

"Putting Together Pieces of the Lateral Septum: Multifaceted Functions and Its Neural Pathways"
Candace A. Rizzi-Wise and Dong V. Wang
eNeuro 11 November 2021, 8 (6) ENEURO.0315-21.2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0315-21.2021

"Supramammillary neurons projecting to the septum regulate dopamine and motivation for environmental interaction in mice"
Andrew J. Kesner, Rick Shin, Coleman B. Calva, Reuben F. Don, Sue Junn, Christian T. Potter, Leslie A. Ramsey, Ahmed F. Abou-Elnaga, Christopher G. Cover, Dong V. Wang, Hanbing Lu, Yihong Yang & Satoshi Ikemoto
Nature Communications 12, 2811 (2021)

Representation of Fear of Heights by Basolateral Amygdala Neurons
Jun Liu, Longnian Lin, Dong V. Wang
Journal of Neuroscience, JN-RM-0483-20; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0483-20.2020 (January 12, 2021)

A Subpopulation of Prefrontal Cortical Neurons Is Required for Social Memory
Bo Xing, Nancy R. Mack, Kai-Ming Guo, Yu-Xiang Zhang, Billy Ramirez, Sha-Sha Yang, Li Lin, Dong V. Wang, Yan-Chun Li, Wen-Jun Gao
Biological Psychiatry, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.08.023 (September 5, 2020)

Hippocampal efferents to retrosplenial cortex and lateral septum are required for memory acquisition
Ashley N. Opalka, Dong V. Wang
Learn. Mem. 27: 310-318. 10.1101/lm.051797.120 (2020)

"Hippocampal Ripple Coordinates Retrosplenial Inhibitory Neurons during Slow-Wave Sleep"
Ashley N. Opalka, Wen-qiang Huang, Jun Liu, Hualou Liang, Dong V. Wang
Cell Reports 30:2, P432-441.E3 (January 14, 2020)

Additional publications...

Presentations

"Neural circuit dynamics underlying memory consolidation"
Wang, D.V.
Drexel University (2017)

"Hippocampal influence of anterior cingulate activity for memory consolidation"
Wang, D.V. & Ikemoto, S.
Society for Neuroscience 82.10 (2016)

"Hippocampal influence of anterior cingulate activity for memory consolidation. Gordon Research Conferences–Optogenetics Approaches to Understanding Neural Circuits & Behavior"
Wang, D.V. & Ikemoto, S.
Maine (2016)

"Mesopontine median raphe regulates hippocampal ripple oscillation and memory consolidation"
Wang, D.V. & Ikemoto, S.
Society for Neuroscience 626.27 (2015)

"Mesopontine median raphe regulates hippocampal ripple oscillation and memory consolidation"
Wang, D.V.
Director’s Report Meeting, NIDA/NIH (2015)

"Burst firing of VTA dopamine neurons in both reward and escape motivated jump behaviors"
Wang, D.V.
Gordon Research Conferences–Catecholamines, Maine (2015)

"Median raphe nucleus regulates hippocampal ripple oscillation and memory consolidation"
Wang, D.V., Yau, H., Broker, C.J., Tsou, J., Bonci, A. & Ikemoto, S.
HHMI Janelia Research Campus (2014)
Annual Meeting of the Greater Baltimore Chapter (2014)
Society for Neuroscience 559.17 (2014)

"Neural activity of nucleus accumbens induced by rewarding optogenetic stimulation of VTA dopamine neurons"
Wang, D.V., Broker, C.J. & Ikemoto, S.
Society for Neuroscience 289.07 (2013)

"Neural activity of nucleus accumbens induced by rewarding optogenetic stimulation of VTA dopamine neurons"
Wang, D.V.
NIH-Baltimore Fellows Symposium (2013)

"Hippocampal control of median raphe activity during ripple oscillation: A new circuit for memory consolidation process?"
Wang, D.V. & Ikemoto, S.
Society for Neuroscience 497.23 (2012)

Additional presentations...


Contact Information


Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy
2900 W. Queen Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19129
Phone: 215.991.8401
Fax: 215.843.9082