University of Maryland, Baltimore · BiologyThe Olfactory Circuit Lab
Fuwen Zhou · Baltimore, Maryland
Research Focus
Dr. Fuwen Zhou's lab focuses on understanding how certain channels in the brain, known as HCN channels, affect the sense of smell, especially as we age or in diseases like Alzheimer's. They study how these channels influence brain activity and behavior through a series of experiments that connect genetics and brain circuits to olfactory performance. The goal is to identify potential treatments that can help improve or restore the sense of smell in aging and disease.
HCN channelsolfactory dysfunctionAlzheimer's diseaseagingneuroscienceneuron activitybehavioral performancegenetic manipulationanimal models
Research Aims
4AIM 01Investigate the relationship between HCN channel expression and olfactory bulb output neuron activity.
AIM 02Demonstrate how pharmacological suppression of HCN channels affects olfactory performance in young mice.
AIM 03Manipulate HCN4 expression in olfactory bulb output neurons to mimic aging effects.
AIM 04Explore therapeutic strategies to upregulate HCN4 and restore olfactory function.
Skills the Lab Values
electrophysiologyanimal handlingviral techniquesbehavioral testinggenetic manipulationcell culturemouse modelsdata analysismolecular biology
Output against the department
Publications34bottom 5% of dept.982nd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.0kbottom 5% of dept.982nd of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.