Yudong Gao

Yudong Gao is an Assistant Professor and McNair Scholar in the Department of Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of protein interactions in the brain and their dysregulation in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. He employs cutting-edge tools like proteomics, protein engineering, and high-throughput electrophysiology to study synaptic and ion channel models. His lab also develops strategies to modulate neural signaling and alleviate symptoms in brain disorder models.

Education:

• BE from Zhejiang University (Hangzhou, China)
• PhD from The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (Memphis, USA)
• Postdoctoral Training at Duke University (Durham, NC, USA)

Research Interests: Dr. Gao’s work centers on protein interaction networks in neurological disorders. His lab investigates how disruptions in these networks contribute to disease phenotypes, with a focus on autism spectrum conditions and schizophrenia. Techniques include proximity proteomics, chemico-genetic analysis, and advanced electrophysiological assays. Recent studies have revealed novel modifiers in autism models and explored neural activity regulation in epilepsy-linked genes like Cnksr2.

Awards & Honors:

• Young Investigator Award (Brain & Behavior Research Foundation)
• McNair Scholar (McNair Medical Institute)
• SFARI Pilot Award (Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative)

Grants & Advising: Supported by the McNair Medical Institute and Simons Foundation. No formal student advisees listed in provided texts.

Labs/Teams: Leads a lab at Baylor College of Medicine focused on protein interaction mechanisms in neurodevelopmental disorders.