Virginia Commonwealth University

Understanding the Neural Basis of Social Behavior

Our laboratory investigates neural circuit mechanisms underlying social impairments in neuropsychiatric disorders, with the goal of developing novel therapeutic strategies for conditions such as autism, depression, and anxiety.

What We Study

Research Focus

Using cutting-edge neuroscience techniques, we aim to understand how specific brain circuits control social behavior and how dysfunction contributes to neuropsychiatric disorders.

Neural Circuits

Mapping the neural circuits that control social behavior and emotional processing

Social Behavior

Understanding how social impairments manifest in neuropsychiatric disorders

Molecular Mechanisms

Investigating molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying social dysfunction

Therapeutic Targets

Identifying novel therapeutic targets for treating social impairments

Recent Work

Selected Publications

Our research has been published in leading journals including Science, Nature Neuroscience, and Neuron.

2025

Reviving-like prosocial behavior in response to unconscious or dead conspecifics in rodents

W Sun, GW Zhang, JJ Huang, C Tao, MB Seo, HW Tao, LI Zhang

Science 387 (6736), eadq2677

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2024

Excitation-inhibition imbalance in medial preoptic area circuits underlies chronic stress-induced depression-like states

C Tao, GW Zhang, WJ Sun, JJ Huang, LI Zhang, HW Tao

Nature Communications 15 (1), 8575

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2021

Medial preoptic area antagonistically mediates stress-induced anxiety and parental behavior

GW Zhang, L Shen, C Tao, AH Jung, B Peng, Z Li, LI Zhang, HW Tao

Nature Neuroscience 24 (4), 516-528

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Our People

Join Our Team

We are always looking for talented and motivated researchers to join our team.

We're Hiring

We have open positions for postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research technicians interested in neural circuits and social behavior.

Meet Our Team & Open Positions
Get in Touch

Contact

Location

Sanger Hall, Room 9-060
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA 23298