Dr. Chuchu Zhang

Assistant Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Chuchu Zhang. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Chuchu Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Zhang received a B.S. in Biochemistry from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and completed a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco, where he worked under Dr. David Julius on pain-producing toxins from venomous animals. His research utilized natural toxins to identify and manipulate pain-related signaling mechanisms in sensory neurons. Following this, Dr. Zhang was a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Stephen Liberles' lab at Harvard Medical School, where he began his independent research trajectory focusing on nausea. His work has illuminated critical aspects of the area postrema, including cell types and receptors associated with nausea-related neural circuits. Dr. Zhang's lab, which opens in September 2023, will investigate molecular mechanisms underlying nausea and peripheral sensory pathways, with applications in conditions like food allergies and pregnancy.

Research Interests

Awards

#2023

Grass Foundation Achievement Award

#2022

NIH BRAIN Initiative K99/R00 Pathways Independent Award

#2021

Finalist, Dale F. Frey Award Breakthrough Scientist

#2017

Damon Runyon Fellowship Award

Requirements for University of California Los Angeles

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
GRE General
Verbal
Required:160
Quantitative
Required:160
Analytical Writing
Required:5
Overall
Required:5
TOEFL
Total
Required:87
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree Strong background in Economics and Mathematics
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Transcripts
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • GRE General Test scores
Specialization Notes

Department of Economics admits primarily for the PhD program.