Samuel Chung
Associate Professor,
Bioengineering
Contact
- s.chung@northeastern.edu
- 218 ISEC
360 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
Office
- 218 ISEC
- 617.373.7805
Research Focus
Cell type-specific genetics of neuroregeneration, Long-term longitudinal imaging at subcellular resolution, High-speed and low-cost confocal imaging
Education
- PhD, Applied Physics, Harvard University, 2009
- S.M., Applied Physics, Harvard University, 2004
- B.S., Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, 2000
Research Overview
Cell type-specific genetics of neuroregeneration, Long-term longitudinal imaging at subcellular resolution, High-speed and low-cost confocal imaging
We study a remarkable effect called lesion conditioning, which turbocharges regeneration in the mammalian central nervous system. We uniquely model lesion conditioning in the roundworm C. elegans, allowing us to examine genetic mechanisms of regeneration at a single-cell resolution.
Our multidisciplinary approach produces important insights into the mechanisms of neuroregeneration, toward the long-term goal of developing therapies for neurological injuries and diseases.
Our laboratory uses advanced microscopy techniques that enable us to visualize and analyze the complex cellular structures of C. elegans. We utilize a femtosecond laser to sever single neuron fibers and study their regenerative capacity under different pathways. Using our hands-free cooling immobilization of C. elegans, we aim to perform longitudinal imaging of single cells throughout the animal for its entire lifetime.
Selected Research Projects
- Automated microscope platform with improved imaging and accurate neuron reconstruction capabilities for high-throughput studies of neuroregeneration
- – Principal Investigator, NIH
- High-Throughput Microscopy Platform for Accelerating Regeneration Neuroscience
- – Principal Investigator, Northeastern TIER 1
- Transcriptomic, Genetic, and Optogenetic Analysis of a Novel High-Throughput Model for Lesion-Conditioned Regeneration
- – Principal Investigator, Morton Cure Paralysis
Department Research Areas
Selected Publications
- Wang, Y.L., Hoang, T.T.N.N., Fan, J., Gangadharan, S., Venkatachalam, V., and Chung, S.H. (2025). Widefield Targeted Illumination Microscopy Enables Optically-Sectioned, Motion-Resilient Imaging of Neuronal Fibers and Their Dynamics. Laser Photonics Rev 19, e01980.
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Nguyen Hoang, T.T.N., Sanganeria, C.P., and Chung, S.H. (2025). Fine Adjustment of Caenorhabditis elegans Orientation on Channeled Agar Pads for Imaging Neuroregeneration. J Vis Exp. 215, e67811.
- Sadeghian, F., Grooms, N.W.F., Chung, S.H., and Cram, E.J. (2024). Tensions on the actin cytoskeleton and apical cell junctions in the C. elegans spermatheca are influenced by spermathecal anatomy, ovulation state and activation of myosin. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 12.
- Grooms, N.W.F., Fitzgerald, M.Q., Zuckerman, B., Ureña, S.E., Weinberger, L.S., and Chung, S.H. (2023). Expression of thioredoxin-1 in the ASJ neuron corresponds with and enhances intrinsic regenerative capacity under lesion conditioning in C. elegans. FEBS Lett. 597, 1880-1893.
- Wang, Y.L., Grooms, N.W.F., Jaklitsch, E.L., Schulting, L.G., and Chung, S.H. (2023). High-throughput submicron-resolution microscopy of Caenorhabditis elegans populations under strong immobilization by cooling cultivation plates. iScience 26, 105999.
- Wang, Y.L., Grooms, N.W.F., Ma, C.W., and Chung, S.H. (2023). Assembly and Operation of a Cooling Stage to Immobilize C. elegans on Their Culture Plates. J Vis Exp 195, e65267. 10.3791/65267.
- Wang, Yao L., Grooms, Noa W. F., Civale, Sabrina C., Chung, Samuel H. (2021). Confocal imaging capacity on a widefield microscope using a spatial light modulator. PLoS ONE, 16(2),e0244034. 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0244034
- M.B. Harreguy, V. Marfil, N.W. F. Grooms, C.V. Gabel, S.H. Chung, G. Haspel, Ytterbium-Doped Fibre Femtosecond Laser Offers Robust Operation with Deep and Precise Microsurgery of elegans Neurons, Scientific Reports, 10, 2020 4545
- H. Cai, Y.L. Wang, R.T. Wainner, N.V. Iftimia, C.V. Gabel, S.H. Chung, Wedge Prism Approach for Simultaneous Multichannel Microscopy, Scientific Reports, 9, 2019, 17795
- S.H. Chung, M.R. Awal, J. Shay, M.M. McLoed, E. Mazur, C.V. Gabel, Novel DLK-Independent Neuronal Regeneration in Caenorhabditis Elegans Shares Links with Activity- Dependent Ectopic Outgrowth, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113, 2016, E2852-E2860
Jan 23, 2026
Spring 2026 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several COE, Bouvé, COS, DMSB, and Khoury students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of the Spring 2026 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. This group of students from across the university will explore a wide variety of topics and questions from developing brain-computer interfaces, to analyzing air quiality data to inform future legislation, Socioeconomic Factors impact on twin infants, and more.
Jan 06, 2026
Chung’s Research Featured on Cover of Laser & Photonics Reviews
BioE Associate Professor Samuel Chung’s research on “Widefield Targeted Illumination Microscopy Enables Optically-Sectioned, Motion-Resilient Imaging of Neuronal Fibers and Their Dynamics” was featured on the back cover of the December 17, 2025, edition of Laser & Photonics Reviews.
Oct 03, 2025
Fall 2025 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several COE, COS, and Khoury students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of the Fall 2025 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Jul 14, 2025
Kavish Khamesra and his Head Start on Sleep… Research
Despite being a first-year undergraduate, bioengineering student Kavish Khamesra, E’28, presented two years of high school research on sleep apnea in Pacific Islanders at the 2025 SLEEP Conference, demonstrating an early passion for neuroscience and medical device research.
Feb 07, 2025
Spring 2025 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several COE, COS, and Khoury students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of the Spring 2025 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Sep 25, 2024
Fall 2024 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several COE, COS, and Khoury students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of the Fall 2024 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Sep 15, 2023
Fall 2023 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Fall 2023 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
May 18, 2022
Summer 2022 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Summer 2022 PEAK Experiences Awards from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Oct 12, 2021
Fall 2021 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Fall 2021 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Apr 09, 2019
FY20 TIER 1 Award Recipients
25 COE faculty and affiliates were recipients of FY20 TIER 1 Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grants for 18 different projects representing up to $900K dollars of investment in research.