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Ming Gao, MD, PhD
Ming Gao, MD, PhD, is a assistant professor at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Gao received his medical degree from Jining Medical College and his doctorate in neuroscience from the Shangai Institute of Meteria Medica, both in China. He completed three postdoctoral fellowships in neuroscience – one at John Hopkins University, one at the University of Maryland, and one at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Gao’s research is mainly focused on mechanisms of the midbrain dopamine system in normal functions, as well as in various neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases. He uses a variety of electrophysiological methods in both in vitro and in vivo preparations to study the synaptic plasticity, pharmacology, and reward pathway in the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic circuit of the brain. As a fellow, he expanded his research to include the homeostatic synaptic plasticity in the visual cortex of the brain.
Dr. Gao also studies the underlying mechanism of type 2 cannabinoid receptors in the brain as they pertain to the regulation of neuronal excitability, along with its potential therapeutic effects in drug addiction and schizophrenia. He also conducts research on nicotinic subunits α5, α6, and α7 (among others) in nicotine and ethanol addiction in the midbrain dopamine system.
Dr. Gao is a member of the Society for Neuroscience.
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University, Neuroscience, 2011-2012
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Maryland, Neuroscience, 2008-2011
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Barrow Neurological Institute, Neuroscience, 2007-2008
- PhD, Shanghai Institute of Meteria Medica, Neuroscience, 2007
- MS, Tongji Medical College, Pharmacology, 2003
- MD, Jining Medical College, 2000
- Society for Neuroscience
Cocaine potently blocks neuronal α
Date: 02/2020
Authors: Ze-Gang Ma, Nan Jiang, Yuan-Bing Huang, Xiao-Kuang Ma, Jason Brek Eaton, Ming Gao, Yong-Chang Chang, Ronald J. Lukas, Paul Whiteaker, Janet Neisewander, Jie Wu
Dual Effect of 5-HT
Date: 01/2020
Authors: Ming Gao, Taleen S Der-Ghazarian, Shuangtao Li, Shenfeng Qiu, Janet L Neisewander, Jie Wu
Alpha6-Containing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Is A Highly Sensitive Target Of Alcohol
Date: 05/2019
Authors: Fenfei Gao, Dejie Chen, Xiaokuang Ma, Sterling Sudweeks, Jordan T. Yorgason, Ming Gao, Dharshaun Turner, Jason Brek Eaton, J. Michael McIntosh, Ronald J. Lukas, Paul Whiteaker, Yongchang Chang, Scott C. Steffensen, Jie Wu
Mechanisms Of Cannabinoid Cb 2 Receptor-Mediated Reduction Of Dopamine Neuronal Excitability In Mouse Ventral Tegmental Area
Date: 04/2019
Authors: Zegang Ma, Fenfei Gao, Brett Larsen, Ming Gao, Zhihua Luo, Dejie Chen, Xiaokuang Ma, Shenfeng Qiu, Yu Zhou, Junxia Xie, Zheng Xiong Xi, Jie Wu
Heterogeneity Of Cannabinoid Ligand-Induced Modulations In Intracellular Ca 2+ Signals Of Mouse Pancreatic Acinar Cells In Vitro
Date: 03/2019
Authors: Kun kun Xia, Jian xin Shen, Ze bing Huang, Hui min Song, Ming Gao, De jie Chen, Shui jun Zhang, Jie Wu
- English


Ming Gao, MD, PhD
Ming Gao, MD, PhD, is a assistant professor at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Gao received his medical degree from Jining Medical College and his doctorate in neuroscience from the Shangai Institute of Meteria Medica, both in China. He completed three postdoctoral fellowships in neuroscience – one at John Hopkins University, one at the University of Maryland, and one at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Gao’s research is mainly focused on mechanisms of the midbrain dopamine system in normal functions, as well as in various neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases. He uses a variety of electrophysiological methods in both in vitro and in vivo preparations to study the synaptic plasticity, pharmacology, and reward pathway in the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic circuit of the brain. As a fellow, he expanded his research to include the homeostatic synaptic plasticity in the visual cortex of the brain.
Dr. Gao also studies the underlying mechanism of type 2 cannabinoid receptors in the brain as they pertain to the regulation of neuronal excitability, along with its potential therapeutic effects in drug addiction and schizophrenia. He also conducts research on nicotinic subunits α5, α6, and α7 (among others) in nicotine and ethanol addiction in the midbrain dopamine system.
Dr. Gao is a member of the Society for Neuroscience.

- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University, Neuroscience, 2011-2012
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Maryland, Neuroscience, 2008-2011
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Barrow Neurological Institute, Neuroscience, 2007-2008
- PhD, Shanghai Institute of Meteria Medica, Neuroscience, 2007
- MS, Tongji Medical College, Pharmacology, 2003
- MD, Jining Medical College, 2000
- Society for Neuroscience
Cocaine potently blocks neuronal α
Date: 02/2020
Authors: Ze-Gang Ma, Nan Jiang, Yuan-Bing Huang, Xiao-Kuang Ma, Jason Brek Eaton, Ming Gao, Yong-Chang Chang, Ronald J. Lukas, Paul Whiteaker, Janet Neisewander, Jie Wu
Dual Effect of 5-HT
Date: 01/2020
Authors: Ming Gao, Taleen S Der-Ghazarian, Shuangtao Li, Shenfeng Qiu, Janet L Neisewander, Jie Wu
Alpha6-Containing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Is A Highly Sensitive Target Of Alcohol
Date: 05/2019
Authors: Fenfei Gao, Dejie Chen, Xiaokuang Ma, Sterling Sudweeks, Jordan T. Yorgason, Ming Gao, Dharshaun Turner, Jason Brek Eaton, J. Michael McIntosh, Ronald J. Lukas, Paul Whiteaker, Yongchang Chang, Scott C. Steffensen, Jie Wu
Mechanisms Of Cannabinoid Cb 2 Receptor-Mediated Reduction Of Dopamine Neuronal Excitability In Mouse Ventral Tegmental Area
Date: 04/2019
Authors: Zegang Ma, Fenfei Gao, Brett Larsen, Ming Gao, Zhihua Luo, Dejie Chen, Xiaokuang Ma, Shenfeng Qiu, Yu Zhou, Junxia Xie, Zheng Xiong Xi, Jie Wu
Heterogeneity Of Cannabinoid Ligand-Induced Modulations In Intracellular Ca 2+ Signals Of Mouse Pancreatic Acinar Cells In Vitro
Date: 03/2019
Authors: Kun kun Xia, Jian xin Shen, Ze bing Huang, Hui min Song, Ming Gao, De jie Chen, Shui jun Zhang, Jie Wu
- English