在的东南大学“发育与疾病相关基因”实验室为教育部重点实验室，实验平台完善，实验设备齐全（包括数台荧光共聚焦显微镜、光遗传设备等、冰冻切片机、光纤记录系统、电生理膜片钳系统，SPF级实验动物中心和动物特殊行为分析环境等）。所依托的课题组配备有完善的活体定位注射实验操作台、各种行为学检测系统和常见分子生物学实验如免疫荧光染色等所需的仪器设备。

2023年中国神经科学年会大合影

2025年中国神经科学年会大合影

  研究方向：本能行为与生理内稳态的神经环路调控机制

  研究背景：生存中，大脑是当之无愧的棋手。它指挥着每一次觅食、躲避、社交，并时刻管理着身体内部的运转。我们团队的研究兴趣，就是解析驱动这些核心行为的神经环路基础，揭示这些大脑是如何编码动机、整合信息、并最终生成准确的行为指令，理解其与相关疾病的关系。

  方向1：饮食相关行为的神经环路

  是什么样的神经指令，能将无形的饥饿感，转化为一场目标明确的觅食或捕猎？我们聚焦于大脑的能量管理系统，解析它如何启动并维持动物最原始的生存驱动力，揭示从动机到行动的完整神经环路。

  方向2：压力相关行为的神经环路

  当危险降临，大脑如何在瞬息之间做出战、逃或僵的生死抉择？我们聚焦于大脑的威胁应对系统，解析它快速识别危险信号，并启动一套能优先于其他需求的防御程序。

  方向3：社交行为的神经环路

  从结盟到竞争，从吸引到排斥，大脑如何驾驭复杂的社会关系？我们聚焦于大脑的社交行为系统，解析它如何解码微妙的社会信号，并灵活地执行不同的社交策略，从而在群体中谋求生存与繁荣。

  方向4：内脏生理活动的神经环路

  大脑并非孤立的指挥官，它时刻与身体内部进行着一场精密的对话。我们探索连接大脑与内脏器官的脑-体轴，解析大脑如何调控这些维持生命的后台程序，以及来自器官的内部感觉又是如何反向塑造我们的行为。

  方法：结合分子生物学、行为学，整合运用前沿的神经科学工具：包括病毒介导的环路示踪、在体光纤记录和光/化学遗传学操控、微型化显微镜等，系统地绘制、监测和验证某些关键神经环路的功能。

  目标：旨在解析大脑生存环路功能图谱，挖掘复杂的精神与躯体疾病（如进食障碍、焦虑症、社交障碍、肠易激综合征）其背后特定的神经环路故障，为相关疾病的诊断与治疗，提供新的干预策略。

主持/参与科研项目：

1. 东南大学医科攀升计划专项：社交行为的神经环路基础 （2023--）

2. 江苏自然科学基金（青年项目）：强迫症的神经环路及分子机制（2022-2025） 

3. 国家自然科学基金（青年项目）：自闭症的神经环路机制（2023-2025）

4. 江苏省双创博士计划：本能行为的神经环路机制解析（2023--）

5. 科技创新2030“脑科学与类脑研究”项目：社交行为的神经环路机制解析及社交障碍的干预研究（项目骨干）

科研文章发表情况（#为第一作者；*为通讯作者）

1.    Mingdao Mu, Aimin Wu, Peng An, Xiaoli Du, Qian Wu,Xiaoyun Shen, Fudi Wang. Black soybean seed coat extract regulates iron metabolism by inhibiting the expression of hepcidin. British Journal of Nutrition, 2014. 亮点文章.

Commented by: McClung JP. Nutrition is medicine: dietary inhibition of hepcidin expression. British Journal of Nutrition, 2014.

2.    Mingdao Mu, Peng An, Qian Wu, Xiaoyun Shen, Dandan Shao, Hao Wang, Yingqi Zhang, Shenshen Zhang, Hui Yao, Junxia Min, Fudi Wang. The dietary flavonoid myricetin regulates iron homeostasis by suppressing hepcidin expression. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 2016.

3.    Yufu Zhou, Xiaomei Wu, Gan Zhou, Mingdao Mu, Fali Zhang, Feimi Li, Christopher Qian, Fang Du, Wingho Yung, Zhongming Qian, Ya Ke. Cystathionine β-synthase is required for body iron homeostasis. Hepatology, 2018. 亮点文章

4.    Tuo Liang, Zhongming Qian, Mingdao Mu, Wingho Yung,Ya Ke. Brain hepcidin suppresses major pathologies in experimental Parkinsonism. iScience, 2020.

5.    Mingdao Mu, Zhongming Qian, Shengxi Yang, Kanglin Rong, Wingho Yung, Ya Ke. Therapeutic Effect of a Histone Demethylase Inhibitorin Parkinson's Disease. Cell Death & Disease, 2020.

6.    Mingdao Mu, Hongyan Geng, Kanglin Rong, Rongchao Peng, Shuting Wang, Linting Geng, Zhongming Qian, Wingho Yung, Ya Ke.  A limbic circuitry involved in emotional stress-induced grooming. Nature Communications, 2020. 亮点文章.

7.    Dandan Lv, An Liu, Ziyue Yi, Mingdao Mu, Miao Wu, Xingcan Li, Kun Cao, Ruining Liu, Zhengping Jia, Junhai Han, Wei Xie. Neuroligin1 Regulates Autistic Like Repetitive Behavior through Modulating the Activity of Striatal D2 Receptor Expressing Medium Spiny Neurons. Advanced Science, 2024.

8.    Mingdao Mu#*, Haoyu Sun#, Shuyan Geng, Tianxiang Xu, Chuanyao Sun, Zixu Zhang, Sibie Meng, Moyi Li, An Liu, Zhiyuan Yang*, Wei Xie*. Neurexin-3 in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus regulates body weight and glucose homeostas is independently of food intake. Molecular Brain, 2024.

9.    Junzhou Chen#, Mingdao Mu#, Xin Lai, Chen Liu,Yuheng Luo, Jun He, Bing Yu, Quyuan Wang, Huifen Wang, Daiwen Chen, Aimin Wu. Theaflavins attenuate iron overload-induced liver oxidative injury by inhibiting hepatocyte ferroptosis. International Journal of Biological Sciences, 2025.

10.  RomeoChen Wei Goh#, Mingdao Mu#, Wingho Yung, Ya Ke. The midline thalamic nucleus reuniens promotes compulsive-like grooming inrodents. Translational Psychiatry (2025).

11.  Shuyan Geng, Zixu Zhang, Xing Liu, Haoyu Sun, Tianxiang Xu, Chuanyao Sun, Shengru Hu, Zhiyuan Yang*, Wei Xie*, Mingdao Mu*. Intermittent social isolation enhances social investigation but impairs social memory in adult male mice. Physiology & Behavior (2025).

12.  Zixu Zhang#, Shengru Hu#, Shuyan Geng#, Tianxiang Xu, Xing Liu, Zixuan Lei, Chuanyao Sun, Haoyu Sun, Wei Xie, Mingdao Mu*#. A Multiscale Atlas of Oprm1 Expressing Neurons in the Central Nervous System: Brain Wide Distribution, Circuit Function, and Translational Therapeutic Implications. Neurochemistry International (2025).

13.  Zixu Zhang#, Shuyan Geng#, Chuanyao Sun#, Shengru Hu, Tianxiang Xu, Wei Xie* & Mingdao Mu*.  A Medial Paralemniscal Pth2ergic Circuit Contributing to Aversive and Anxiety-Like Behaviors. Neuroscience Bulletin (2025).

14.  Tianxiang Xu#, Wenjuan Shi#, Zixu Zhang, Junxu Liu, Duo Xu, Wei Xie, Mingdao Mu*. Harnessing the Galanin paradox: A receptor and circuit-basedroadmap for precision neuromodulation. Biochemical Pharmacology (2025).

15.  Zixu Zhang#, Shengru Hu#, Shuyan Geng#, Tianxiang Xu, Chuanyao Sun, Wenqi Wei, Wangqi Shao, Yike Duan, Wei Xie, Mingdao Mu*.  A multiscale review of hypothalamic BRS3 neurochemistry: From receptor distribution to circuit based therapeutic strategies. Life Sciences (2025).

16.  Yongheng Wang#, Weiye Qian#, Haoyu Sun, Juan Zhao, Mingdao Mu*, Zhiyuan Yang*. Identify key environmental factors and neglectedgenetic SNPs associated with obsessive compulsive disorder by two sample multivariate Mendelian randomization analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders (2025).

17.  Mingdao Mu#*，Ziqi Zhao#, Zixu Zhang#, Chuanyao Sun, Yi Zhi, Lixian Peng, Wei Xie. The functional architecture of PACAP: A network-level framework of competing circuits for precision neuropsychopharmacology. Current Opinion in Pharmacology (2026).

18.  Zixu Zhang#, Shuyan Geng#, Shengru Hu, Xing Liu, Tianxiang Xu, An Liu, Wei Xie* & Mingdao Mu*. Cholecystokinin neurons in the central nervous system: Functional diversity, circuit mechanisms, and translational perspectives. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry (2026).

19.  Dandan Lv#, Ruining Liu#, Xinyu Zhang, Siqi Peng, Wei Xie, Mingdao Mu*, An Liu*.  Hyoscyamine Ameliorates Repetitive Behavior in NLG1 and SHANK3 Deficient-Mice. Neuroscience Bulletin (2026).

20.  Shuyan Geng#, Chuanyao Sun#, Xing Liu, Zixu Zhang, Shengru Hu, Hao Jiang, Xiaoxia Xue, Tianxiang Xu, Wei Xie*, Mingdao Mu*.  A Genetically Defined Thalamic Circuit Encodes Social Touch. Neuroscience Bulletin (2026).

21. Shengru Hu#, Zixu Zhang#, Hao Li, Yihan Tian, Wei Xie, Mingdao Mu*. Transcriptomic reprogramming of the medial amygdala in chronic stress: Implications of ER proteostasis and neuropeptide signaling for anxiety like behaviors. Journal of Affective Disorders (2026).