Su-Youne Chang

Su-Youne Chang, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Assistant Professor of Physiology, and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Her primary research focus is on understanding the mechanisms of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) and developing improved therapeutic approaches for neurological disorders.

Dr. Chang's research interests include:

• Deep Brain Stimulation mechanisms and applications
• Electrophysiology and electrochemistry of brain networks
• Neuroimaging and pharmacology in DBS research
• Optogenetics applications for understanding DBS
• Neurobiological balance within brain networks
• Development of novel DBS instrumentation

Her laboratory utilizes cutting-edge techniques to investigate how DBS works at cellular and molecular levels, with the ultimate goal of improving therapeutic efficacy through individualized treatment paradigms. Recent research has focused on applications for Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, Alzheimer's disease, and alcohol use disorder, with publications spanning from 2000 to the present showing consistent productivity and growing impact in the field.

Dr. Chang has received significant research funding, including:

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke grant for 'Astrocytic function in DBS for essential tremor' (2015-2021)
• Current project on 'Multi-site DBS with precise timing control focusing on synaptic plasticity' (2025-2026)

She has published 78 research outputs documented across multiple high-impact journals. Her work has been particularly focused on neurotransmitter dynamics during DBS, with special attention to adenosine and other neuromodulators. Dr. Chang collaborates extensively with researchers across multiple disciplines to advance the understanding and application of DBS technology, with evidence of international collaborations and interdisciplinary research impact.