Biography

• BSc (1986) Human Physiology, University of Nanjing, Nanjing, P.R.China
• PhD (1991) Neurophysiology, University of Southampton, UK
• Postdoc RA (’90-‘92) Pharmacology, University of Glasgow
• Postdoc RA (’92-’95) Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Southampton
• Wellcome Research Fellow (’96-’97)Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Southampton
• Research Scientist (’97-’05) Neuroscience Discovery, Eli Lilly & Co. Windlesham, Surrey
• Lecturer (’05-) Lecturer in Neurophysiology, SBMS, University of Surrey

Research Interests

In the general field of neurophysiology and neuropharmacology, I am currently working in the following areas:

• GABA_B receptor allosteric modulation
• GABA_B receptor isoform expression and functions, and implication in epilepsy
• Nicotinic receptor partial agonists and allosteric potentiators
• Pharmacological modulation of dopamine neuron activity in the ventral tegmental area and implications in drug addiction
• Pharmacological modulation of circadian rhythmicity
• Nanobiosensor

Current funding:

• “GABA-B receptor isoforms in the hippocampus and the allosteric modulation” PI, £389K (2007 -2010) BBSRC
• "GABA-B receptor isoforms in the hippocampus and in epileptogenesis" BBSRC studentship (2007 -2010) Y. Chen (PI) and I. Kitchen
• "Nanobiosensors" EPSRC studentship (2008 - 2011) R. Silva (PI, ATI Surrey) and Y. Chen 
• “Effect and neurobiological mechanisms of exercise on nicotine craving”.MRC-ESRC studentship (2009- 13) I. Kitchen, M. Cropley, Y. Chen, A. Bailey
• "GABA-B receptor expression and function in the brain" (2010 - 11) Surrey funded studentship Y. Chen and S. Archer

Research Collaborations

• Prof. Bernhard Bettler Pharmazentrum, University of Basel  

Publications

Chen, Y., Menendez-Roche, N., Sher, E. (2006) Differential modulation by the GABAB receptor allosteric potentiator CGP7930 of synaptic transmission in the rat hippocampal CA1 area. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 317:1170-77

Ying Chen, Keith G. Phillips, Gareth Minton, Emanuele Sher (2005) GABAB receptor modulators potentiate baclofen-induced depression of dopamine neuron activity in the rat ventral tegmental area. British Journal of Pharmacology, 14 Feb 2005

Emanuele Sher, Ying Chen, Thomas J.W. Sharples, Lisa M. Broad, Giovanni Benedetti, Ruud Zwart, Gordon I. McPhie, K.H. Pearson, T. Baldwinson and G. De Filippi (2004) Physiological roles of neuronal nicotinic receptor subtypes: New insights on the nicotinic modulation of neurotransmitter release, synaptic transmission and plasticity. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 4: 283-297

Ying Chen, Thomas J.W. Sharples, Keith G. Phillips, Giovanni Benedetti, Lisa M. Broad, Ruud Zwart, Emanuele Sher (2003) The nicotinic a4b2 receptor selective agonist, TC-2559, increases dopamine neuronal activity in the ventral tegmental area of rat midbrain slices. Neuropharm. 45:334-344

Liping Zhang, Ying Lu, Ying Chen, Karin N. Westlund (2002) Group I metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonists block sensory thermal hyperalgesia in rats with knee joint inflammation. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 300:149-156

Liping Zhang, Ying Chen, Barry P. Clark, Emanuele Sher, Karin N. Westlund (2002) The role of type I metabotropic glutamate receptors in the generation of dorsal root reflexes induced by acute arthritis or the spinal infusion of 4-aminopyridine in the anaesthetized rat (2000) The Journal of Pain 1:151-161

Ying Chen, G. Bacon, E. Sher, B. P. Clark, M. J. Kallman, R. A. Wright, B. G. Johnson, D. D. Schoepp and A. E. Kingston (1999) Evaluation of the activity of a novel metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonist (±)-2-amino-2-(3-cis and trans-carboxycyclobutyl-3-(9-thioxanthyl)propionic acid) in the in vitro neonatal spinal cord and in an in vivo pain model. Neuroscience 95:787-793

Ying Chen, J.E.Chad, R.C. Cannon, H.V. Wheal (1999) Reduced Mg²⁺ blockade of synaptically activated N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-channels in CA1 pyramidal neurons in kainic acid-lesioned rat hippocampus. Neuroscience 88:727-739

Dennis A. Turner, Ying Chen, J.T.Issac, M. West, H.V. Wheal (1997) Excitatory synaptic site heterogeneity during paired pulse plasticity in CA1 pyramidal cells in rat hippocampus in vitro. Journal of Physiology 500:441-461

Ying Chen, Graham DI, Stone TW (1992) Release of endogenous adenosine and its metabolites by the activation of NMDA receptors in the rat hippocampus in vivo. British Journal of Pharmacology 106:632-8

Ying Chen, Bagust J, Kerkut GA, Tyler AW (1993) Correlation between spontaneous bursts of activity recorded from the dorsal roots in an isolated hamster spinal cord preparation. Experimental Physiology 78:811-824

Teaching

Level 1: Physiology

Level 2: Physiology (Module organiser), Neuroscience, Key skills

Level 3: Neuroscience, Neuropharmacology, Receptors, Practical Neuroscience and Pharmacology

Departmental Duties

Biosciences Level 1 Organiser

Biosciences Level 1 Forum Convenor

Affiliations

• Member British Neuroscience Association
• Foreign member Society for Neuroscience