Andy Chang, PhD

Assistant Professor
Cardiovascular Research Institute
Department of Physiology
+1 415 476-5544

To maintain optimal oxygen delivery to tissues, there is constant regulation of respiratory and cardiovascular systems by mechanisms that act on different time scales. On a fast time scale, a small chemosensory organ called the carotid body senses decreases in blood oxygen to increase breathing within seconds. The carotid body can also regulate cardiovascular function acutely, and carotid body hyperactivity contributes to disease progression in hypertension, heart failure, and metabolic syndrome. Using the mouse as our primary model, we aim to identify the molecular mechanisms that mediate the carotid body’s ability to detect changes in blood oxygen as well as other metabolic signals, such as carbon dioxide and acid. One long term goal is to apply this knowledge to manipulating carotid body activity in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

Research Summary: 
We are interested in mechanisms of oxygen and metabolite sensing in mammals.
Mentorship Development: 

4/30/20    Mental Health in a Pandemic: Q&A for Faculty
2/16/21    Three Truths and Three Tries: Facing and Overcoming Critical Social Justice Challenges at the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Levels

Featured Publications: 

Oxygen regulation of breathing through an olfactory receptor activated by lactate.

Nature

Chang AJ, Ortega FE, Riegler J, Madison DV, Krasnow MA

Hypoxia and the HIF-1 transcriptional pathway reorganize a neuronal circuit for oxygen-dependent behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Chang AJ, Bargmann CI

A distributed chemosensory circuit for oxygen preference in C. elegans.

PLoS biology

Chang AJ, Chronis N, Karow DS, Marletta MA, Bargmann CI