Sora Shin, PhD

Program Focus

Program Focus: The Shin Lab aims to understand the role of brain circuit-specific mechanisms using translationally relevant animal models of stress-induced psychiatric diseases. The lab seeks to answer such questions as: How does the harsh early environment affect mental health in adulthood? How are unfulfilled needs in early life stored and transduced into behavioral dysfunctions after a long time? What processes are set into motion that link stress experiences to symptoms of eating disorders or major depression in later life?

Reviewed Journals

• You IJ, Bae, Y, Beck A, Shin S. (2023). Lateral hypothalamic proenkephalin neurons drive threat-induced overeating associated with a negative emotional state (submitted to Nature Communications, under the 2^nd review).
• Shin S (co-corresponding author), You IJ, Jeong M, Bae, Y, Wang XY, Cawley M, Han A, Lim BK. (2022). Early adversity promotes binge-like eating habits by remodeling a leptin-responsive circuit that connects the lateral hypothalamus to the brainstem. Nature Neuroscience, 26(1):79-91.
• Choi JH, Jeong M, Jang H, Wang Q, Lee J, Wang EH, Snyder CN, Wang XY, Gittis AH, Shin S, Sung TC, Lim BK. (2022). Viral vector-mediated transgene delivery with novel recombinase systems for targeting neuronal populations defined by multiple features. (submitted to Neuron, under the 2^nd review).
• Pribiag H, Shin S, Wang E, Sun F, Datta P, Okamoto A, Guss H, Jain A, Wang XY, Freitas B, Honma P, Pate S, Lilascharoen V, Li Y, Lim BK. (2021) Ventral pallidum DRD3 potentiates a pallido-habenular circuit driving accumbal dopamine release and cocaine seeking. Neuron, 109(13):2165-2182.
• Shin S, Pribiag H, Lilascharoen V, Knowland D, Wang XY, Lim BK. (2018). Drd3 signaling in the lateral septum mediates early life stress-induced social dysfunction. Neuron, 97(1):195-208.
• Knowland D, Lilascharoen V, Pacia CP, Shin S, Wang EH, Lim BK. (2017). Distinct ventral pallidal neural populations mediate separate symptoms of depression. Cell, 170(2):284-297.
• Shin S, Kwon O, Kang JI, Kwon S, Oh S, Choi J, Kim CH, Kim DG. (2015). mGluR5 in the nucleus accumbens is critical for promoting resilience to chronic stress. Nature Neuroscience, 18(7):1017-24.
• Kwon O, Kang ES, Kim I, Shin S, Kim M, Kwon S, Oh SR, Ahn YS, Kim CH. (2014). GPR30 mediates anorectic estrogen-induced STAT3 signaling in the hypothalamus. Metabolism, 63(11):1455-61.
• Choi JY, Shin S, Lee M, Jeon TJ, Seo Y, Kim CH, Kim DG, Yi CH, Lee K, Choi TH, Kang JH, Ryu YH. (2014). Acute physical stress induces the alteration of the serotonin 1A receptor density in the hippocampus. Synapse, 68(8):363-8.
• Oh HG, Chun YS, Kim Y, Youn SH, Shin S, Park MK, Kim TW, Chung S. (2012). Modulation of transient receptor potential melastatin related 7 channel by presenilins. Developmental Neurobiology, 72(6):865-77.

Oral Presentations

• Medical Science Special Seminar at Yonsei University, College of Medicine, South Korea. Talk title: Unraveling neural circuit mechanisms of early life trauma. (November 2022)
• Gordon Research Conference (GRC) Hypothalamus entitled, Unraveling the Complexity of the Hypothalamus from Single Molecules to Intricate Behaviors. Talk title: Early Adversity Promotes Binge-Like Eating Habits by Remodeling a Leptin-Responsive Circuit that Connects the Lateral Hypothalamus to the Brainstem. (July 2022)
• 4th Annual iTHRIV Scholars Clinical Translational Research Symposium. Talk title: Deciphering the role of leptin receptor neural circuits in mediating early life trauma-induced binge eating behavior. Virtual due to COVID-19. (October 2021)
• VT School of Neuroscience Innovator Seminar Series for Spring. Talk title: Early adversity remodels state of leptin receptor lateral hypothalamic circuits to promote binge-like eating habits. Virtual due to COVID-19. (May 2021)
• Pathways in Biological Science (PiBS) Symposium at UC San Diego and Salk Institute, entitled “Biological Stress: From Cells to Societies” Talk title:  Early adversity remodels state of leptin receptor lateral hypothalamic circuits to promote binge-like eating habits. Virtual due to COVID-19. (April 2021)
• Central Virginia Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience (CVCSN) Virtual symposium. Talk title: Early adversity promotes binge-like eating habits by remodeling a leptin-responsive circuit that connects the lateral hypothalamus to the brainstem. Virtual due to COVID-19. (March 2021)

Poster Presentations

• You I-J, Bae Y, Beck A, Shin S. Threatening stimuli remodel the lateral hypothalamic proenkephalin neurons to promote palatable food overconsumption. Society of Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. (November 2022)
• Shin S, Pribiag H, Lilascharoen V, Knowland D, Wang XY, Lim BK. Drd3 signaling in the lateral septum mediates early life stress-induced social dysfunction. Society of Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. (November 2018)
• Shin S, Pribiag H, Lilascharoen V, Knowland D, Wang XY, Lim BK. Drd3 signaling in the lateral septum mediates early life stress-induced social dysfunction. Society of Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. (November 2017)
• Jang J, Shin S, Kim J.-H. Psychostimulants decrease the phosphorylation levels of Akt in the nucleus accumbens in a time-dependent manner. Society of Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. (October 2009)
• Shin S, Kim W, Jang J, Kim J.-H. Differential regulation by amphetamine of Akt-GSK signaling and the phosphorylation levels of ERM proteins in the nucleus accumbens core and shell. Society of Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. (November 2008)