Faculty Appointments
Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Education
Ph.D., Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, California
Research Description
Research
The skin, our largest sensory organ, transmits somatosensory information, such as touch, pain, temperature, and itch, to the central nervous system. Touch is the first sense to develop and is critical for fundamental tasks and social exchange. A lack of touch in early childhood has catastrophic effects on brain development. Yet, touch remains the least understood sense at the molecular and developmental level. Somatosensory circuits share many assembly strategies with the rest of the nervous system (e.g., laminar organization of connections, pruning and synaptic specificity), but they also have unique features, including the remarkably diverse structures of mechanosensory end organs in the skin. Therefore, understanding the molecular and cellular logic of somatosensory circuit assembly will address many open and underexplored questions in neuroscience.
Using a combination of mouse genetics, sequencing, anatomy, physiology and behavior, we investigate key molecular and cellular mechanisms of somatosensory circuit assembly, which will provide insights for treating nerve injury, pain, and somatosensory dysfunctions in diseases.
About Shan
Shan completed her postdoctoral work at the Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School in the lab of David Ginty. She received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of California San Francisco, under the mentorship of Yuh Nung Jan, studying Drosophila sensory neuron development and function. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences and Philosophy from Peking University.
Shan has a long-term commitment to promoting diversity in science by teaching, mentoring and community outreach. She received the UCSF Chancellor’s Award for Advancement of Women, an American Association of University Women fellowship, and a HHMI Hanna H. Gray fellowship as recognitions of her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Lab website: https://www.shanmeltzerlab.com/
Education and Training
2017-2024 HHMI Hanna Gray Fellow, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
2012-2017 Ph.D. in Neuroscience. University of California, San Francisco
2010-2011 Ph.D. program in Genetics and Development. Columbia University (transferred to UCSF)
2006-2010 B.S., Life Sciences, Magna Cum Laude. B. Phil., Philosophy, Peking University
Fellowships and Grants
2023-2024 Leonard and Isabelle Goldenson Fellowship, Harvard Medical School
2023 William Randolph Hearst Fund Award, Harvard Medical School
2019-2028 HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellowship
2018-2019 NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship: F32NS108507
2016-2017 Dissertation Fellowship, American Association of University Women
2013-2016 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
2012-2013 NIH NRSA Institutional Research Training Grant (T32)
2008-2009 Chun-Tsung Fellowship, Peking University
Selected Awards
2023 MIT Biology Catalyst Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2022 Grass Trustees Recognition Award, The Grass Foundation
2022 Future of Science Fund Scholarship, Keystone Symposia
2021 Women in Science Travel Fund, WIST Fund
2020 NINDS Scholarship, Keystone Symposia on "Somatosensation: From Detection to Perception"
2019 Harvard Brain Science Initiative Young Scientist Travel Award
2016 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Students Abroad
2016 Chancellor’s Diversity Award for the Advancement of Women, UCSF
2016 1st Place, UCSF Chalk Art Contest
2015 ASGD Conference Travel Award, UCSF
2014 Earle C. Anthony Travel Award, UCSF
2014 Graduate Student Research Award, UCSF
2013 Poster Award, UCSF Neuroscience Retreat
2010 Graduated magna cum laude, Peking University
2008, 2009 National Scholarship, Chinese Ministry of Education (most competitive scholarship in China)
2009 Chun-Tsung Scholar, Peking University
2007, 2008, 2009 Triple-A student, Peking University
The skin, our largest sensory organ, transmits somatosensory information, such as touch, pain, temperature, and itch, to the central nervous system. Touch is the first sense to develop and is critical for fundamental tasks and social exchange. A lack of touch in early childhood has catastrophic effects on brain development. Yet, touch remains the least understood sense at the molecular and developmental level. Somatosensory circuits share many assembly strategies with the rest of the nervous system (e.g., laminar organization of connections, pruning and synaptic specificity), but they also have unique features, including the remarkably diverse structures of mechanosensory end organs in the skin. Therefore, understanding the molecular and cellular logic of somatosensory circuit assembly will address many open and underexplored questions in neuroscience.
Using a combination of mouse genetics, sequencing, anatomy, physiology and behavior, we investigate key molecular and cellular mechanisms of somatosensory circuit assembly, which will provide insights for treating nerve injury, pain, and somatosensory dysfunctions in diseases.
About Shan
Shan completed her postdoctoral work at the Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School in the lab of David Ginty. She received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of California San Francisco, under the mentorship of Yuh Nung Jan, studying Drosophila sensory neuron development and function. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences and Philosophy from Peking University.
Shan has a long-term commitment to promoting diversity in science by teaching, mentoring and community outreach. She received the UCSF Chancellor’s Award for Advancement of Women, an American Association of University Women fellowship, and a HHMI Hanna H. Gray fellowship as recognitions of her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Lab website: https://www.shanmeltzerlab.com/
Education and Training
2017-2024 HHMI Hanna Gray Fellow, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
2012-2017 Ph.D. in Neuroscience. University of California, San Francisco
2010-2011 Ph.D. program in Genetics and Development. Columbia University (transferred to UCSF)
2006-2010 B.S., Life Sciences, Magna Cum Laude. B. Phil., Philosophy, Peking University
Fellowships and Grants
2023-2024 Leonard and Isabelle Goldenson Fellowship, Harvard Medical School
2023 William Randolph Hearst Fund Award, Harvard Medical School
2019-2028 HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellowship
2018-2019 NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship: F32NS108507
2016-2017 Dissertation Fellowship, American Association of University Women
2013-2016 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
2012-2013 NIH NRSA Institutional Research Training Grant (T32)
2008-2009 Chun-Tsung Fellowship, Peking University
Selected Awards
2023 MIT Biology Catalyst Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2022 Grass Trustees Recognition Award, The Grass Foundation
2022 Future of Science Fund Scholarship, Keystone Symposia
2021 Women in Science Travel Fund, WIST Fund
2020 NINDS Scholarship, Keystone Symposia on "Somatosensation: From Detection to Perception"
2019 Harvard Brain Science Initiative Young Scientist Travel Award
2016 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Students Abroad
2016 Chancellor’s Diversity Award for the Advancement of Women, UCSF
2016 1st Place, UCSF Chalk Art Contest
2015 ASGD Conference Travel Award, UCSF
2014 Earle C. Anthony Travel Award, UCSF
2014 Graduate Student Research Award, UCSF
2013 Poster Award, UCSF Neuroscience Retreat
2010 Graduated magna cum laude, Peking University
2008, 2009 National Scholarship, Chinese Ministry of Education (most competitive scholarship in China)
2009 Chun-Tsung Scholar, Peking University
2007, 2008, 2009 Triple-A student, Peking University
Publications
Zhang D, Turecek J, Choi S, Delisle M, Pamplona CL, Meltzer S, Ginty DD. C-LTMRs mediate wet dog shakes via the spinoparabrachial pathway. BioRxiv. 2024 Jun 6/11/2024; PMID: 38915692, PMCID: PMC11195135, PII: 2024.06.10.597395, DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.10.597395, ISSN: 2692-8205.
Meltzer S, Boulanger KC, Chirila AM, Osei-Asante E, DeLisle M, Zhang Q, Kalish BT, Tasnim A, Huey EL, Fuller LC, Flaherty EK, Maniatis T, Garrett AM, Weiner JA, Ginty DD. ¿-Protocadherins control synapse formation and peripheral branching of touch sensory neurons. Neuron [print-electronic]. 2023 Jun 6/7/2023; 111(11): 1776-1794.e10-1794.e10. PMID: 37028432, PMCID: PMC10365546, PII: S0896-6273(23)00208-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.03.012, ISSN: 1097-4199.
Meltzer S, Boulanger KC, Osei-Asante E, Handler A, Zhang Q, Sano C, Itohara S, Ginty DD. A role for axon-glial interactions and Netrin-G1 signaling in the formation of low-threshold mechanoreceptor end organs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A [print-electronic]. 2022 Oct 10/25/2022; 119(43): e2210421119. PMID: 36252008, PMCID: PMC9618144, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210421119, ISSN: 1091-6490.
Meltzer S, Santiago C, Sharma N, Ginty DD. The cellular and molecular basis of somatosensory neuron development. Neuron [print-electronic]. 2021 Dec 12/1/2021; 109(23): 3736-57. PMID: 34592169, PMCID: PMC8639614, PII: S0896-6273(21)00658-9, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.09.004, ISSN: 1097-4199.
Kuehn ED, Meltzer S, Abraira VE, Ho CY, Ginty DD. Tiling and somatotopic alignment of mammalian low-threshold mechanoreceptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A [print-electronic]. 2019 May 5/7/2019; 116(19): 9168-77. PMID: 30996124, PMCID: PMC6511030, PII: 1901378116, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1901378116, ISSN: 1091-6490.
Meltzer S, Bagley JA, Perez GL, O'Brien CE, DeVault L, Guo Y, Jan LY, Jan YN. Phospholipid Homeostasis Regulates Dendrite Morphogenesis in Drosophila Sensory Neurons. Cell Rep. 2017 Oct 10/24/2017; 21(4): 859-66. PMID: 29069593, PMCID: PMC5687885, PII: S2211-1247(17)31409-2, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.09.089, ISSN: 2211-1247.
Jin P, Bulkley D, Guo Y, Zhang W, Guo Z, Huynh W, Wu S, Meltzer S, Cheng T, Jan LY, Jan YN, Cheng Y. Electron cryo-microscopy structure of the mechanotransduction channel NOMPC. Nature [print-electronic]. 2017 Jul 7/6/2017; 547(7661): 118-22. PMID: 28658211, PMCID: PMC5669069, PII: nature22981, DOI: 10.1038/nature22981, ISSN: 1476-4687.
Meltzer S, Chen C. Balancing Dendrite Morphogenesis and Neuronal Migration during Cortical Development. J Neurosci. 2016 Oct 10/19/2016; 36(42): 10726-8. PMID: 27798127, PMCID: PMC5083003, PII: 36/42/10726, DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2425-16.2016, ISSN: 1529-2401.
Guo Y, Wang Y, Zhang W, Meltzer S, Zanini D, Yu Y, Li J, Cheng T, Guo Z, Wang Q, Jacobs JS, Sharma Y, Eberl DF, Göpfert MC, Jan LY, Jan YN, Wang Z. Transmembrane channel-like (tmc) gene regulates Drosophila larval locomotion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A [print-electronic]. 2016 Jun 6/28/2016; 113(26): 7243-8. PMID: 27298354, PMCID: PMC4932980, PII: 1606537113, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1606537113, ISSN: 1091-6490.
Ori-McKenney KM, McKenney RJ, Huang HH, Li T, Meltzer S, Jan LY, Vale RD, Wiita AP, Jan YN. Phosphorylation of ß-Tubulin by the Down Syndrome Kinase, Minibrain/DYRK1a, Regulates Microtubule Dynamics and Dendrite Morphogenesis. Neuron [print-electronic]. 2016 May 5/4/2016; 90(3): 551-63. PMID: 27112495, PMCID: PMC4860041, PII: S0896-6273(16)30018-6, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.03.027, ISSN: 1097-4199.
Meltzer S, Yadav S, Lee J, Soba P, Younger SH, Jin P, Zhang W, Parrish J, Jan LY, Jan YN. Epidermis-Derived Semaphorin Promotes Dendrite Self-Avoidance by Regulating Dendrite-Substrate Adhesion in Drosophila Sensory Neurons. Neuron [print-electronic]. 2016 Feb 2/17/2016; 89(4): 741-55. PMID: 26853303, PMCID: PMC4760923, PII: S0896-6273(16)00045-3, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.01.020, ISSN: 1097-4199.
Song Y, Sretavan D, Salegio EA, Berg J, Huang X, Cheng T, Xiong X, Meltzer S, Han C, Nguyen TT, Bresnahan JC, Beattie MS, Jan LY, Jan YN. Regulation of axon regeneration by the RNA repair and splicing pathway. Nat Neurosci [print-electronic]. 2015 Jun; 18(6): 817-25. PMID: 25961792, PMCID: PMC4446171, PII: nn.4019, DOI: 10.1038/nn.4019, ISSN: 1546-1726.
Gorczyca DA, Younger S, Meltzer S, Kim SE, Cheng L, Song W, Lee HY, Jan LY, Jan YN. Identification of Ppk26, a DEG/ENaC Channel Functioning with Ppk1 in a Mutually Dependent Manner to Guide Locomotion Behavior in Drosophila. Cell Rep [print-electronic]. 2014 Nov 11/20/2014; 9(4): 1446-58. PMID: 25456135, PMCID: PMC4254518, PII: S2211-1247(14)00903-6, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.10.034, ISSN: 2211-1247.
Yan Z, Zhang W, He Y, Gorczyca D, Xiang Y, Cheng LE, Meltzer S, Jan LY, Jan YN. Drosophila NOMPC is a mechanotransduction channel subunit for gentle-touch sensation. Nature [print-electronic]. 2013 Jan 1/10/2013; 493(7431): 221-5. PMID: 23222543, PMCID: PMC3917554, PII: nature11685, DOI: 10.1038/nature11685, ISSN: 1476-4687.
Meltzer S, Boulanger KC, Chirila AM, Osei-Asante E, DeLisle M, Zhang Q, Kalish BT, Tasnim A, Huey EL, Fuller LC, Flaherty EK, Maniatis T, Garrett AM, Weiner JA, Ginty DD. ¿-Protocadherins control synapse formation and peripheral branching of touch sensory neurons. Neuron [print-electronic]. 2023 Jun 6/7/2023; 111(11): 1776-1794.e10-1794.e10. PMID: 37028432, PMCID: PMC10365546, PII: S0896-6273(23)00208-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.03.012, ISSN: 1097-4199.
Meltzer S, Boulanger KC, Osei-Asante E, Handler A, Zhang Q, Sano C, Itohara S, Ginty DD. A role for axon-glial interactions and Netrin-G1 signaling in the formation of low-threshold mechanoreceptor end organs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A [print-electronic]. 2022 Oct 10/25/2022; 119(43): e2210421119. PMID: 36252008, PMCID: PMC9618144, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210421119, ISSN: 1091-6490.
Meltzer S, Santiago C, Sharma N, Ginty DD. The cellular and molecular basis of somatosensory neuron development. Neuron [print-electronic]. 2021 Dec 12/1/2021; 109(23): 3736-57. PMID: 34592169, PMCID: PMC8639614, PII: S0896-6273(21)00658-9, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.09.004, ISSN: 1097-4199.
Kuehn ED, Meltzer S, Abraira VE, Ho CY, Ginty DD. Tiling and somatotopic alignment of mammalian low-threshold mechanoreceptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A [print-electronic]. 2019 May 5/7/2019; 116(19): 9168-77. PMID: 30996124, PMCID: PMC6511030, PII: 1901378116, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1901378116, ISSN: 1091-6490.
Meltzer S, Bagley JA, Perez GL, O'Brien CE, DeVault L, Guo Y, Jan LY, Jan YN. Phospholipid Homeostasis Regulates Dendrite Morphogenesis in Drosophila Sensory Neurons. Cell Rep. 2017 Oct 10/24/2017; 21(4): 859-66. PMID: 29069593, PMCID: PMC5687885, PII: S2211-1247(17)31409-2, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.09.089, ISSN: 2211-1247.
Jin P, Bulkley D, Guo Y, Zhang W, Guo Z, Huynh W, Wu S, Meltzer S, Cheng T, Jan LY, Jan YN, Cheng Y. Electron cryo-microscopy structure of the mechanotransduction channel NOMPC. Nature [print-electronic]. 2017 Jul 7/6/2017; 547(7661): 118-22. PMID: 28658211, PMCID: PMC5669069, PII: nature22981, DOI: 10.1038/nature22981, ISSN: 1476-4687.
Meltzer S, Chen C. Balancing Dendrite Morphogenesis and Neuronal Migration during Cortical Development. J Neurosci. 2016 Oct 10/19/2016; 36(42): 10726-8. PMID: 27798127, PMCID: PMC5083003, PII: 36/42/10726, DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2425-16.2016, ISSN: 1529-2401.
Guo Y, Wang Y, Zhang W, Meltzer S, Zanini D, Yu Y, Li J, Cheng T, Guo Z, Wang Q, Jacobs JS, Sharma Y, Eberl DF, Göpfert MC, Jan LY, Jan YN, Wang Z. Transmembrane channel-like (tmc) gene regulates Drosophila larval locomotion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A [print-electronic]. 2016 Jun 6/28/2016; 113(26): 7243-8. PMID: 27298354, PMCID: PMC4932980, PII: 1606537113, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1606537113, ISSN: 1091-6490.
Ori-McKenney KM, McKenney RJ, Huang HH, Li T, Meltzer S, Jan LY, Vale RD, Wiita AP, Jan YN. Phosphorylation of ß-Tubulin by the Down Syndrome Kinase, Minibrain/DYRK1a, Regulates Microtubule Dynamics and Dendrite Morphogenesis. Neuron [print-electronic]. 2016 May 5/4/2016; 90(3): 551-63. PMID: 27112495, PMCID: PMC4860041, PII: S0896-6273(16)30018-6, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.03.027, ISSN: 1097-4199.
Meltzer S, Yadav S, Lee J, Soba P, Younger SH, Jin P, Zhang W, Parrish J, Jan LY, Jan YN. Epidermis-Derived Semaphorin Promotes Dendrite Self-Avoidance by Regulating Dendrite-Substrate Adhesion in Drosophila Sensory Neurons. Neuron [print-electronic]. 2016 Feb 2/17/2016; 89(4): 741-55. PMID: 26853303, PMCID: PMC4760923, PII: S0896-6273(16)00045-3, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.01.020, ISSN: 1097-4199.
Song Y, Sretavan D, Salegio EA, Berg J, Huang X, Cheng T, Xiong X, Meltzer S, Han C, Nguyen TT, Bresnahan JC, Beattie MS, Jan LY, Jan YN. Regulation of axon regeneration by the RNA repair and splicing pathway. Nat Neurosci [print-electronic]. 2015 Jun; 18(6): 817-25. PMID: 25961792, PMCID: PMC4446171, PII: nn.4019, DOI: 10.1038/nn.4019, ISSN: 1546-1726.
Gorczyca DA, Younger S, Meltzer S, Kim SE, Cheng L, Song W, Lee HY, Jan LY, Jan YN. Identification of Ppk26, a DEG/ENaC Channel Functioning with Ppk1 in a Mutually Dependent Manner to Guide Locomotion Behavior in Drosophila. Cell Rep [print-electronic]. 2014 Nov 11/20/2014; 9(4): 1446-58. PMID: 25456135, PMCID: PMC4254518, PII: S2211-1247(14)00903-6, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.10.034, ISSN: 2211-1247.
Yan Z, Zhang W, He Y, Gorczyca D, Xiang Y, Cheng LE, Meltzer S, Jan LY, Jan YN. Drosophila NOMPC is a mechanotransduction channel subunit for gentle-touch sensation. Nature [print-electronic]. 2013 Jan 1/10/2013; 493(7431): 221-5. PMID: 23222543, PMCID: PMC3917554, PII: nature11685, DOI: 10.1038/nature11685, ISSN: 1476-4687.