Research Interests:
The Rao laboratory uses approaches based on molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, biophysics and chemistry to study questions important in neurobiology. Model organisms include Drosophila, mice，rats and humans.
Selected Publications:
1. Deng BW, Li Q, Liu XX, Cao Y, Li BF, Qian YJ, Xu R, Mao RB, Zhou EX, Huang J and Rao Y (2019) Chemoconnectomics: mapping chemical transmission in Drosophila. Neuron 101:876-893.
2. Chen BQ, Zhu, ZJ, Wang YY, Ding XH, Guo XB, He MG, Fang W, Zhou SB, Zhou Q, Huang AL, Chen TM, Ni DS, Gu YP, Liu JN, Lei H, Rao Y (2018). Nature vs. nurture in human sociality: multi-level genomic analyses of social conformity. J Hum Genet 63:605-619.
3. Liu WW, Liang XH, Li YN, Gong JX, Yang Z, Zhang YH, Zhang JX and Rao Y (2011). Social regulation of aggression mediated by pheromonal activation of Or65a olfactory receptor neurons in Drosophila. Nature Neurosci 7:896-902.
4. Liu Y, Jiang Y, Si Y, Kim J-Y, Chen Z-F, and Rao Y (2011). Molecular regulation of sexual preference revealed by genetic studies of 5-HT in the brain of male mice. Nature 472:95-99.
5. Zhou C, Rao Y, and Rao Y (2008). A subset of octopaminergic neurons are important for Drosophila aggression. Nature Neurosci 11:1059-1067.
6. Jiang H, Guo W, Liang XH, and Y Rao (2005). Both the establishment and the maintenance of neuronal polarity require active mechanisms: critical roles of GSK-3 and its upstream regulators. Cell 120:123-135.
7. Wu W, Wong K, Chen JH, Jiang ZH, Dupuis S, Wu JY, and Rao Y (1999). Directional guidance of neuronal migration in the olfactory system by the secreted protein Slit. Nature 400:331-336.
8. Rao Y, Jan LY, and Jan YN (1990). Similarity of the product of the Drosophila neurogenic gene big brain to transmembrane channel proteins. Nature 345:163-167.
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