Yang Tan Collective scientists are recognized for their autism research

Menglong Zeng and Chenjie Shen named Simons Foundation Bridge to Independence Award recipients

By Rubina Veerakone
 
Menglong Zeng and Chenjie Shen, postdoctoral researchers at the Hock E. Tan and K. Lisa Yang Center for Autism Research, were honored with the Simons Foundation Bridge to Independence Award. The award is given to rising and outstanding scientists with diverse backgrounds who are charting bold paths in autism spectrum disorder research, providing support to help propel their careers.
 
Zeng and Shen are working in the lab of Guoping Feng—the James W. (1963) and Patricia T. Poitras Professor in MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and director of the Hock E. Tan and K. Lisa Yang Center for Autism Research—a leader in the field who has made pivotal discoveries over the years. In the Feng lab, Zeng and Shen are investigating the cellular and molecular basis of autism to enhance scientists’ fundamental understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and develop targeted therapies.
 
Currently a J. Douglas Tan Postdoctoral Fellow and a 2023 Bridge to Independence Fellow, Zeng focuses on deciphering the role of parvalbumin (PV) interneurons in ASDs. PV interneurons are essential for many advanced brain functions, and dysfunctions in these interneurons have been observed in animal models of autism. Zeng has made strong progress in exploring how PV interneurons send and receive information via their specialized synaptic architectures—the relay centers between neurons—and whether these synapses harbor potential therapeutic targets. Notably, his team has identified nearly 170 PV interneuron synaptic proteins and one-quarter of these proteins are encoded by autism risk genes.
 
“I’m deeply grateful to the Hock E. Tan and K. Lisa Yang Center for Autism Research for enabling my research, especially the constant encouragement from Lisa herself. I’m thrilled to move into the next phase of my career with tremendous support from the Simons Foundation. The Bridge to Independence Award is an immense honor, and it will greatly accelerate my work to tackle the many scientific challenges involved in ASDs,” says Zeng.
 
Chenjie Shen, a 2020-2022 J. Douglas Tan Postdoctoral Fellow, is developing genome editing-based therapeutics for Rett Syndrome, a rare neurological condition often associated with autism. Rett syndrome is caused by a mutation in the MECP2 gene, which is crucial for neuron development. Shen has developed several models of this mutation to facilitate the testing of this therapy, exploring how base editing can restore functional MECP2 expression. As a 2024 Bridge to Independence Fellow, Shen aims to expand the toolkit to develop therapies for Rett syndrome, and potentially other ASDs, that are more effective and efficient.
 
“Compared to traditional gene replacement, gene editing holds immense promise as the next step in gene therapy. However, safely and effectively delivering genome editors to the brain remains a significant hurdle. This award means a great deal to me and I am committed to advancing my research in this direction,” says Shen. “Lisa Yang has been consistently supportive and has provided tremendous help to both me and the lab. The Hock E. Tan and K. Lisa Yang Center for Autism Research has been instrumental in making this next step possible.”