About
Melissa Chee is a Professor of Neuroscience at Carleton University, currently serving as Graduate Chair in Neuroscience. She earned her PhD from the University of Alberta and completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School.
- Supervises graduate and undergraduate research
- Teaches NEUR 2001: Introduction to Research Methods in Neuroscience and NEUR 2004: Fundamentals of Scientific Writing
- Laboratory website: Chee Lab
Research Interests:
Melissa Chee's work focuses on the neurobiology of obesity, particularly the role of the hypothalamus in integrating signals related to nutrition, exercise, and mental health for body weight regulation. Her lab employs advanced techniques including:
- Neurocircuitry tracing
- Electrophysiology
- Neuronal imaging
- Behavioral neuroscience
Her research spans cellular, systems, and organism-level analyses, emphasizing the interplay between metabolic disease and mental health. Recent publications highlight her work on:
- Fructose-induced neuronal plasticity
- Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) signaling
- CART-mediated anxiety and feeding
- GLP-1 and PYY3-36 pathways
- Dopaminergic regulation
Advising & Collaborations:
Dr. Chee actively mentors students and collaborates with researchers across neuroscience, endocrinology, and molecular biology. Her lab investigates neurotransmitter interactions in metabolic regulation, including:
- MCH and CART co-expression
- NPY/AgRP neuronal circuits
- Endocannabinoid system modulation
- SCAP and SIRT1/FoxO1 pathways
