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UCLA Professor Awarded Funding for Groundbreaking Research on Interoceptive Sensory Logic in Pregnancy

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— 1 min read

UCLA Assistant Professor Chuchu Zhang has been awarded a Hypothesis Fund seed grant for her research project, "Exploring interoceptive sensory logic reshaped by pregnancy." This innovative project builds upon Dr. Zhang's expertise in the sensory neuroscience of nausea and visceral sensations, with the potential to open new avenues of understanding in the intersection of neuroscience, sensory perception, and reproductive health. Dr. Zhang's research focuses on the neural mechanisms of nausea and interoception, including the peripheral sensory mechanisms of nausea in clinically relevant conditions such as pregnancy, food allergy, and radiation.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. Chuchu Zhang, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology at UCLA, was awarded a Hypothesis Fund seed grant for her research project, "Exploring interoceptive sensory logic reshaped by pregnancy."
  • The project aims to investigate how sensory adaptation mechanisms in brainstem neurons impact the rules that govern interoception, and may reveal insights into feeding disorders, pregnancy complications, and significantly impact quality of life.
  • Dr. Zhang received her B.S. in Biochemistry from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of California, San Francisco.
  • The Zhang Lab opened in September 2023 at UCLA and focuses on the molecular and circuit mechanisms of nausea.
  • The Hypothesis Fund Scout, Dr. Elaine Hsiao, noted that Dr. Zhang's research could add a paradigm-shifting point to the study of interoception coding in the brainstem.
  • Dr. David Sanford, Founder and CEO of the Hypothesis Fund, stated that Dr. Zhang's research is poised to unlock new fundamental understanding for the field and has the potential for significant long-term impact.

Statistics:

  • The Zhang Lab has been open at UCLA since September 2023.
  • Dr. Chuchu Zhang has received her B.S. in Biochemistry from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of California, San Francisco.
  • The Hypothesis Fund seed grant was awarded to Dr. Zhang on Thursday, July 17, 2025.

Sources:

  • UCLA Health System (July 17, 2025)
  • Department of Physiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
  • The Hypothesis Fund

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