Dr. Hwai-Jong Cheng is a Distinguished Research Fellow and Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) at Academia Sinica, Taiwan. His laboratory investigates the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern neural circuit formation during development, with a focus on axon guidance, synapse formation, axon pruning, and adult neurogenesis. His work spans multiple model organisms including mice, C. elegans, and ferret, and has led to fundamental discoveries in how the nervous system wires itself during development and how neural circuits are remodeled throughout life.
Education
1982-1989
M.D., College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
1991-1995
Ph.D., Cell and Developmental Biology, Harvard University, USA
1997-2002
Postdoctoral Fellow
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Anatomy, University of California at San Francisco, and Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University
Employment
2002-2008
Assistant Professor
Center for Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (starting 2003), School of Medicine, University of California, Davis
2008-2011
Associate Professor
Center for Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis
2011-2020
Professor
Center for Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis
2018-2020
Chair
Neuroscience Graduate Group, UC Davis
Academic Positions
2020-2026
Distinguished Research Fellow & Director
Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
2026-
Distinguished Research Fellow
Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
Additional professional experience
1989-1991
Clinical Resident
Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan
1996-1997
Clinical Resident
Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan
2008-2012
Master Adviser
Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, Davis
2010-2013
Director
Diagnostic and Research Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis
2012-2013
Research Scholar
Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan (Sabbatical leave)
2013-2015
Master Advisor
Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis
2014-2016
Committee on Courses of Instruction member
Academic Senate, UC Davis
2016-2019
Master Advisor
Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis
2017-2019
Committee on Courses of Instruction member
Academic Senate, UC Davis
2014-2020
Executive Committee member
Neuroscience Graduate Group, UC Davis
2015-2017
Faculty Executive Committee member
College of Biological Science, UC Davis
2018-2020
Executive Committee
NIH T32 Training Grant Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB), College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis
2019
Visiting Professor
Brain Research Center and Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan (Sabbatical leave)
Honors and professional activities
1996
Pharmacia Biotech & Science Prize for Young Scientists in Molecular Biology
Regional winner from North America
1997-2002
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Physician Postdoctoral Fellowship
2003
Whitehall Foundation Grant Award
2004
Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow
2004
Klingenstein Fellowship Award
2004
The M.I.N.D. Institute Research Grant Award
2012
Faculty Service Award
Neuroscience Graduate Group, UC Davis
2015
UC Davis Academic Advising Award
2016
NACADA Region 9 Excellence in Advising Award
1996
Marshal
Undergraduate Commencement, College of Biological Sciences, UC Davis