Pao-Sheng Chang

Dr Pao-Sheng (Paul) Chang is a committed postdoctoral research fellow funded by Guarantors of Brain. He has obtained solid scientific training since his DPhil period in University of Oxford.

His fellowship research project aims to investigate the specific role of glucocorticoid-induced macrophage subpopulation (M_GC) in the development of human neuropathic pain with using a humanised co-culture model system and human injured nerves.

There are four objectives of his fellowship research project:

1. Characterize the effects of human M_GC on the excitability of injured human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons (hiPSCdSN) in vitro
2. Assess the phenotypic changes of macrophage subpopulations after interacting with injured hiPSCdSN in vitro
3. Decipher the transcriptomic signatures and cell-cell interactions within Morton’s neuroma and control nerves at single-cell level
4. Extend the applicability of my findings to other human peripheral neuropathies, such as painful diabetic neuropathy

The results of his research will deepen our understanding of the underlying neuro-immune interactions involved in human neuropathic pain, potentially paving the way for the development of macrophage-specific pain treatments within the next decade. In the long run, Dr Chang's career vocation is to translate the promising biomedical discoveries into effective pharmaceutical treatments for managing a variety of neurological disorders.