01
Injury microenvironment
Defining how glial cells, immune responses, extracellular matrix, and scar-forming populations reshape the injured spinal cord.
Chih-Wei Zeng, Ph.D. · Neuroscientist
Rebuilding neural circuits after injury.
I study how glia, immune cells, stem and progenitor cells, and injury-responsive programs can be redirected to repair the damaged spinal cord.
Instructor · Department of Neuroscience · UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
Research logic
Comparative neural repair
01Injury
signals
signals
02Cell-state
change
change
03Functional
repair
repair
Chih-Wei Zeng, Ph.D.Neuroscientist · Regenerative biologist
About
Bridging regenerative biology and translational neuroscience.
I am a neuroscientist trained in molecular and cellular biology, with research spanning zebrafish regeneration, mouse spinal cord injury, and stem cell-based repair strategies.
My work asks a practical question: which repair programs can be reactivated to restore structure and function after central nervous system injury? I approach this through comparative models, spatial biology, quantitative behavior, and a strong focus on translation.
TrainingPh.D., National Taiwan University
Current roleInstructor, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
Research lensRegeneration across species
Research directions
From regenerative biology to translational strategy.
The goal is to discover which cellular programs enable successful repair, then test how those principles can be activated in the mammalian central nervous system.
02
Regenerative cell states
Identifying injury-responsive stem and progenitor programs that enable neuronal replacement, axon growth, and tissue bridging.
03
Cross-species translation
Using zebrafish and mouse models to separate conserved repair principles from species-specific barriers to functional recovery.
Experimental toolkit
Mouse SCIZebrafish regenerationSpatial transcriptomicsRNAscope & imagingViral vectorsQuantitative behavior
Selected work
Representative publications
PLOS ONE
Unbiased Quantification of Persistent Postural and Motor Deficits Following Spinal Cord Injury in Mice
A quantitative framework for revealing persistent postural and motor phenotypes after mouse spinal cord injury.iScience
New Insights into the Influence of Temperature on Axonal Transport and Function in Myelinated Regions of Schwann Cells
A synthesis of how temperature reshapes axonal transport, myelinated nerve physiology, and experimental interpretation.Differentiation
Immune Cell-NSPC Interactions: Friend or Foe in CNS Injury and Repair?
A critical view of how immune cells and neural stem or progenitor cells cooperate and compete during CNS repair.Biology
Stem Cell-Based Approaches for Spinal Cord Injury: The Promise of iPSCs
A translational perspective on iPSC-derived neural cells, disease modeling, and the challenges that remain before clinical application.International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Advancing Spinal Cord Injury Treatment through Stem Cell Therapy: A Comprehensive Review of Cell Types, Challenges, and Emerging Technologies in Regenerative Medicine
A framework for evaluating cell sources, delivery strategies, biomaterials, and emerging technologies in SCI repair.Open Biology
Injury-induced Cav1-expressing cells at lesion rostral side play major roles in spinal cord regeneration
Identification of a spatially distinct injury-responsive cell population that supports neuronal regeneration in zebrafish.Editorial & peer-review service
Strengthening the scientific conversation.
Editorial service is an extension of research: testing ideas, improving rigor, and helping important work communicate clearly.
100+peer reviews completed across neuroscience, regeneration, and stem cell research
RecognitionMDPI 2025 Top 1000 Reviewers ↗
Guest Editor
Neurology International
Spinal Cord Injury: Emerging Therapeutics and Translational Strategies
↗Topic EditorFrontiers in Neuroscience
Novel Molecular and Cellular Targets Driving Axon Regeneration After SCI
↗Advisory serviceInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences
Topical Advisory Panel, Molecular Neurobiology
↗Honors & awards
Recognition across the research journey.
Recognition for doctoral research, scientific communication, and contributions to neuroscience and regenerative biology.
The Dean's Award for Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis
College of Life Science, National Taiwan University
Best Poster Presentation Award
College of Life Science, National Taiwan University
Best Poster Presentation Award
23rd Japanese Medaka and Zebrafish Meeting
Travel Award
International Conference on Life Science and Biological Engineering
Best Poster Presentation Award
30th Joint Annual Conference of Biomedical Science
Tokuji Ikenaka Prize · Best Poster Presentation
Meeting of the Asian-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry
Best Poster Presentation Award
Taiwan Neuroscience Society
Speaking & outreach
Ideas travel further through conversation.
I enjoy translating complex regenerative biology into clear, useful stories for scientists, trainees, and wider professional communities.
TTBA Symposium
Scientific exchange and community engagement connecting biomedical researchers across disciplines.
Research seminars & scientific discussions
Talks on spinal cord regeneration, neuroglia-immune interactions, stem cell strategies, and comparative regenerative biology.
TTBA Podcast
Conversations that make research careers, scientific ideas, and the people behind discovery more accessible.
Contact
Let's move a good idea forward.
Open to scientific collaborations, invited talks, editorial projects, and conversations about translational neuroscience.