Samuel Chung Download

Samuel Chung

Associate Professor,  Bioengineering

Contact

Office

  • 617.373.7805

Related Links

Research Focus

Brain cell regeneration, automated microscopy and laser surgery, user-friendly and low-cost fluorescence microscopy

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

Brain cell regeneration, automated microscopy and laser surgery, user-friendly and low-cost fluorescence microscopy

NeuroLab

The NeuroLab focuses on the fascinating field within neuroscience. We study a remarkable effect called lesion conditioning, which promotes 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 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.

We aim to automate these techniques to streamline immobilization, imaging, laser surgery, and reimaging of animals.

Our interdisciplinary approach produces important insights into the mechanisms of neuroregeneration, toward the long-term goal of developing therapies for neurological injuries and diseases.

NeuroLab

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

  • 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

Students

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.

Students

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.

Faculty

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.

Undergraduate

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.

Undergraduate

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.

Faculty

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.

Faculty

Oct 25, 2017

Insights into Nerve Regeneration

BioE Assistant Professor Samuel Chung is studying microscopic worms to gain insights into nerve regeneration with hopes to help people with spinal cord injuries. Source: News @ Northeastern Samuel Chung […]

Faculty

Sep 01, 2017

New Faculty Spotlight: Samuel Chung

Samuel Chung joins the Bioengineering department in September 2017 as an Assistant Professor.

View All Related News