Hsiao-Tuan Chao, M.D., Ph.D.

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Hsiao-Tuan Chao, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Email

hsiaotuan.chao@bcm.edu

Positions

Assistant Professor: Department of Pediatrics-Division of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Department of Neuroscience
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Houston, TX US

Investigator: Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute
Texas Children's Hospital
Houston, TX US

McNair Scholar: McNair Medical Institute at The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation
Houston, TX

Faculty Senator: ��

Associate Program Director, Basic Neuroscience Pathway: Department of Pediatrics
Child Neurology Residency Training Program
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Houston, TX US

Addresses

Texas Children's Hospital (Hospital)
: Clinical Care Center, Suite 1250
Houston, TX 77030
United States

Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Office)
: 1250 Moursund St
Houston, TX 77030
United States

Education

Residency at ��: Houston, Texas United States; Pediatric Neurology

Internship at ��: 06/2013 - Houston, Texas United States; Pediatrics

MD from ��: 05/2012 - Houston, Texas United States

PhD from ��: 03/2010 - Houston, Texas United States; Neuroscience

BS from University of Texas at Austin: 05/2002 - Austin, Texas United States; Biochemistry, summa cum laude

BA from University of Texas at Austin: 05/2002 - Austin, Texas United States; Plan II Honors in Liberal Arts, summa cum laude

Honors & Awards

2022 "40 Under 40" List of Autism Researchers: Global Rising Stars in Autism Research https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/40-under-40/; Spectrum News (12/2022)

2022 Young Investigator Award: Department of Pediatrics, �� (12/2022)

2022 Inducted to Society for Pediatric Research: The Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) was founded in the 1930s as an academic society committed to fostering the research and career development of investigators engaged in creating new knowledge that advances the health and well-being of children and youth. Since that time, the SPR has emerged as the pre-eminent international society devoted to young investigators in basic science and translational research. Membership is highly competitive, limited to early-stage investigators, and requires demonstration of excellence in child health research through metrics such as extramural peer-reviewed funding and publication of original scientific manuscripts.; Society for Pediatric Research (11/2022)

2020 Philip R. Dodge Young Investigator Award: /news/chao-awarded-philip-r-dodge-young-investigator-award; Child Neurology Society

2019 Health Care Heroes - Rising Star Award: Houston Business Journal (04/2019)

2017 STAT Wunderkind Award: STAT News (10/2017)

2017 CNS Outstanding Junior Member Award: Child Neurology Society

2017 AAN Neurology Research Scholar: American Academy of Neurology (04/2017)

2017 CNCDP-K12 Scholar: Kennedy Krieger (04/2017)

2011 Top 10 Autism Research Findings of 2010: Chao et al. Nature, 2010; Autism Speaks

2015-2016 Chief Resident: 2015-2016 Co-Chief Resident with Dr. Kim Houck for Pediatric Neurology Residency Training Program; BCM Pediatric Neurology Residency

2009 Deborah K. Martin Achievement Award in Biomedical Sciences: ��

Robert and Janice McNair Foundation MD/PhD Student Scholar: �� (07/2002 - 05/2012)

Professional Interests

Pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders
Integrate mouse and fruit fly models with human genomics
Inhibitory neurons
HADD syndrome
New disease gene discovery

Professional Statement

As a physician-scientist, my efforts are primarily focused on understanding the genetic and neuro-physiologic underpinnings of neurodevelopmental disorders such as intellectual disability, epilepsy, autism, schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric conditions. In particular, one emerging theme in the field is that disrupted inhibitory neuronal development and function has been found in association with many neurologic and psychiatric disorders. This would be consistent with the growing body of knowledge that inhibitory neurons are highly diverse and key for virtually all aspects of neurobiology from neural circuit development to information processing. Therefore, elucidating the genetic etiologies of inhibitory neuronal development and function has great potential to advance our understanding of inhibitory neurobiology in health and disease. However, determining the genetic cause is only the first step. The critical advance needed for translation of human genetic studies into clinical applications is to identify the consequences of genetic alterations at the molecular, cellular, neural network and whole-organism levels. This mechanistic dissection of neurodevelopmental disorders bridges molecular function to disease pathogenesis, which is crucial for the development of effective targeted therapeutics. Types of genetic alterations we study in the lab impact transcriptional regulation, protein translation, cell-type specific specification. synapse formation, and neurotransmitter release.

Our goal is to determine the role of cerebro-cerebellar excitatory and inhibitory neuronal dysfunction in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders by deciphering how genetic alterations perturb neurotransmission in the brain, impact neural development and lead to abnormal neurologic output. In the Chao Lab, we integrate cross-species approaches in humans to uncover the genetic etiologies of neurodevelopmental disorders, fruit flies to elucidate the molecular pathways and mice to explore the cascade of events in the mammalian brain and develop pre-clinical studies. A variety of approaches and techniques are employed in our laboratory including comprehensive human phenotyping and multiomics studies, genetically engineered mouse and fruit fly models, functional analyses with electrophysiology, imaging, transcriptomics, molecular and cellular assays and behavioral profiling.

In addition to the laboratory research activities, our team leads an Epilepsy Genetics Initiative at the Duncan NRI to identify genetic determinants of undiagnosed developmental and epileptic encephalopathies and we established a multidisciplinary EBF3-related autism spectrum, ataxia, and other neurodevelopmental disorders clinic at TCH. We now follow the largest group of EBF3-related HADDS and 10q26 deletion syndrome patients to date in a single institution and conduct comprehensive phenotypic-genotypic analysis with neurocognitive profiling and neuroimaging. Finally, we are leading a Phase 0 natural history study for STXBP1-related epileptic encephalopathy with the goal of continuing to Phase 1 gene therapy studies. The findings from the clinical studies also inform our laboratory research efforts to understand how gene disruptions alter inhibitory and excitatory neuronal development, perturb neural network activity and lead to cognitive and behavioral abnormalities in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.

Websites

Chao Laboratory

Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, McNair Medical Institute at The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation

Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute

Selected Publications

LaFlamme CW, Tastin C, Sengupta S, Pennington HE, Russ-Hall SJ, Schneider AL,,...Chao HT...Mefford HC "." Nat Comm. 2024; Pubmed PMID:
Copeland I, Gupta-Malhotra M, Hashmi SS, Wonkam-Tingang E, Han Y, Jajoo A, Hall NJ, Hernandez PP, Lie N, Liu D, Xu J, Rosenfeld J, Coban-Akdemir ZH, Scott DA, Chao HT, Zaske AM, Lupski JR, Milewicz DM, Shete S, Posey JE, Hanchard NA. "." JCI Insight. 2024 May; Pubmed PMID:
Li S, Zhao S, Sinzon JC, Bajic A, Rosenfeld JA, Neeley MB, Pena M, Worley KC, Burrage L, Hubshman MW, Ketkar S, Craigen WJ, Clark GD,...Chao HT, Potocki L, Emrick L, ...Nagamani SCS, Liu Z, Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Eng CM, Lee B, Liu P. "." AJHG. 2024 May; Pubmed PMID:
Paul MS, Michener SL, Pan H, Chan H, Pfliger JM, Rosenfeld JA, Lerma VC, Tran A, Longley MA, Lewis RA,...Osmond M, Schuhmann S, Vasileiou G, Russ-Hall S, Scheffer IE, Carvill GL, Mefford H; Undiagnosed Diseases Network; Bacino CA, Lee BH, Chao HT. "." AJHG. 2024 Jan 4; Pubmed PMID:

Hayden AN, Brandel KL, Merlau PR, Vijayakumar P, Leptich EJ, Pietryk EQ, Gaytan ES, Ni CW, Chao HT, Rosenfeld JA, Arey RN. "." bioRxiv. 2024; Pubmed PMID:
Corriveau M*, Amaya S*, Koebel MC*, Lerma VC, Michener S, Turner A, Schultz RJ, Seto E, Diaz-Medina G, Craigen WJ, Swann JW, Xue M, Chao HT. "." AJMG Part A. 2023 Mar 11; Pubmed PMID:
Paul MS*, Duncan AR*, Genetti C, Grant PE, Shi J, Pinelli M, Brunetti-Pierri N, Garza-Flores A...Shaked BP, Ortal B, Zeev BB, Torti E, Schwan K, Aycinena AP, Banka S, Douzgou S, Jackson A, Pirt H, Ismayilova N, Pan H, Chao HT*,^, Agrawal PA*,^ "." Am J Hum Genet. 2022 Dec 15; Pubmed PMID:
Keehan L, Haviland I, Gofin Y, Swanson LC, El Achkar CM, Schreiber J, VanNoy GE, O’Heir E, O’Donnell-Luria A, Lewis RA, Magoulas P, Tran A, Amazian MS, Chao HT, ...Rosenfeld JA, Olson HE, Burrage L. "." AJMG Part A. 2022; Pubmed PMID:
Thomas AX, Link N, Demmler-Harrison G, Mizerik E, Robak LA, Michels S, Cohen JS, Comi A...Sherr E, Hashim MO, Alkuraya F, Partlow J, Walsh CA, Bellen HJ, Chao HT, Clark RD, Mirzaa GM "." Ann Clin Transl Neurol .. 2022 Aug 9; Pubmed PMID:
Deisseroth CA, Lerma VC, Magyar CL, Pfliger JM, Nayak A, Bliss ND, LeMaire AW, Narayanan V, Balak C, Zanni G, Valente EM, Bertini E, Benke PJ, Wangler MF, Chao HT "." Annals of Neurology. 2022 Mar 26;92:138-153. Pubmed PMID:
Magyar CL, Murdock DR, Burrage LC, Dai H, Lalani SR, Lewis RA, Lin Y, Astudillo MF, Rosenfeld JA, Tran AA, Gibson JB, Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Bacino CA, Lee BH, Chao HT "." Am J Med Genet A.. 2022 Feb;188:1868-1874. Pubmed PMID:
Marcogliese PC, Deal SL, Andrews J, Harnish JM, Bhavana VH, Graves HK, Jangam S, Luo X, Liu N, Bei D, Chao YH, Hull B, Lee PT, Pan H, Brady C, Chao HT, Chung H, […],Agrawal PB, Keller R, Pavinato L, Brusco A, Rosenfeld JA, Marom R, Wangler MF, Yamamoto S. "." Cell Reports. 2022 Mar; Pubmed PMID:
Calame DG, Hainlen M, Takacs D, Ferrante L, Pence K, Emrick LT, Chao HT "." Neurol Genet.. 2020 Dec;7:e539. Pubmed PMID:
Murdock DR, Dai H, Burrage LC, Rosenfeld JA, Ketkar S, Muller MF, Yepez VA, Gagneur J, Liu P, Chen S, Jain M, Zapata G, Bacino CA, Chao HT, Moretti P, Craigen WJ, Hanchard NA, Lee B "." J. Clin. Investig.. 2020 Oct; Pubmed PMID:
Chung HL, Mao X, Wang H, Park YJ, Shu L, Marcogliese PC, Rosenfeld JA, Burrage LC, Liu P, Murdock DR, Yamamoto S, Wangler MF, Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Chao HT, Long H, Feng L, Bacino CA, Bellen HJ, Xiao B. "." AJHG. 2020 Apr; Pubmed PMID:
Mao D, Reuter CM, Ruzhnikov MRV, Beck AE, Farrow EG, Emrick LT, Rosenfeld JA, Mackenzie KM, Robak L, Wheeler MT, Burrage LC, Jain M, Liu P, Calame D, Kuery S...Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Lee BH, Thiffault I, Agrawal PB, Bernstein JA, Bellen HJ, Chao HT "." Am J Hum Genet.. 2020;106:570-583. Pubmed PMID:
Chen W, Cai ZL, Chao ES, Chen H, Longley CM, Hao S, Chao HT, Kim JH, Messier JE, Zoghbi HY, Tang J, Swann JW, Xue M "." eLife. 2020 Feb; Pubmed PMID:
Harnish JM, Deal SL, Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Chao HT, Wangler MF, Yamamoto S "." J. Vis. Exp.. 2019; Pubmed PMID:
Blackburn ATM, Bekheirnia N, Uma VC, Corkins ME, Xu Y, Rosenfeld JA, Bainbridge MN, Yang Y, Liu P.......Chao HT, Mirzaa GM, Scheuerle AE, Kukolich MK, Scaglia F, Eng C, Willsey HR, Braun MC, Lamb DJ, Miller RK, Bekheirnia MR "." Genet Med. 2019 Jul 2; Pubmed PMID:
Handoko M, Emrick LT, Rosenfeld JA, Wang X, Tran AA, Turner A, Belmont JW, Lee B, Bacino CA, Chao HT "." Am J Med Genet A. 2018 Dec 18; Pubmed PMID:
Leduc MS, Chao HT, Qu C, Walkiewicz M, Xiao R, Magoulas P, Pan S, Beuten J, He W, Bernstein JA, Schaaf CP, Scaglia F, Eng CM, Yang Y "." Am J Med Genet A. 2017; Pubmed PMID:
Wangler MF, Yamamoto S, Chao HT, Posey JE, Westerfield M, Postlethwait J, Members of the UDN, Hieter P, Boycott KM, Campeau PM, Bellen HJ "." Genetics. 2017 Sep; Pubmed PMID:
Gambin T, Yuan B, Bi W, Liu P, Rosenfeld JA, Coban-Akdemir Z, Pursley AN, Nagamani SCS, Marom R, Golla S, Dengle L, Petrie HG, Matalon R, Emrick L, Proud MB, Treadwell-Deering D, Chao HT......Smith JL, Cheung SW, Lupski JR, Patel A, Shaw CA, Stankiewicz P "." Genome Med. 2017 Sep 21; Pubmed PMID:
Chao HT, Liu L, Bellen HJ "." Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2017 May 22; Pubmed PMID:
Wang J*, Al-Ouran R*, Hu Y*, Kim SY*, Wan YW, Wangler MF, Yamamoto S, Chao HT, Comjean A, Mohr SE, Members of the UDN, Perrimon N, Liu Z, Bellen HJ "." American Journal of Human Genetics. 2017 May 11; Pubmed PMID:
Chao HT, Davids M, Burke E, Pappas JG, Rosenfeld JA, McCarty AJ, Davis T, Wolfe L, Toro C, Tifft C, Xia F, Stong N, Johnson TK, Warr CG, Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Yamamoto S, Adams DR, Markello TC, Gahl WA, Bellen HJ, Wangler MF, Malicdan MCV "." American Journal of Human Genetics. 2016 Dec 22; Pubmed PMID:
Chang CL, Trimbuch T, Chao HT, Jordan JC, Herman M, Rosenmund C. "." Journal of Neuroscience. 2014 Jan; Pubmed PMID:
Jiang M, Ash RT, Baker SA, Suter B, Ferguson A, Park J, Rudy J, Torsky SP, Chao HT, Zoghbi HY, Smirnakis SM. "." Journal of Neuroscience. 2013 Dec; Pubmed PMID:
Chao HT and Zoghbi HY. "." Nature Neuroscience. 2012 Jan; Pubmed PMID:
Wagnon JL, Mahaffey CL, Sun W, Yang Y, Chao HT, Frankel WN. "." Genes Brain Behav. 2011 Jul; Pubmed PMID:
Chao HT, Chen H, Samaco RC, Xue M, Chahrour M, Yoo J, Neul JL, Gong S, Heintz N, Ekker M, Rubenstein J, Noebels JL, Rosenmund C, Zoghbi HY. "." Nature. 2010 Nov; Pubmed PMID:
Xue M*, Craig TK*, Xu J, Chao HT, Rizo J, Rosenmund C. "." Nat Struct Mol Biol.. 2010 May; Pubmed PMID:
Samaco RC, Mandel-Brehm C, Chao HT, Fyffe SL, Sun Y, Ren J, Hyland K, Maricich SM, Deneris ES, Greer JJ, Humphreys P, Percy A, Glaze DG, Thaller C, Zoghbi HY, Neul JL. "." Proc Natl Acad Sci.. 2009 Dec; Pubmed PMID:
Rose MF*, Ren J*, Ahmad KA*, Chao HT, Klisch TJ, Flora A, Greer JJ, Zoghbi HY. "." Neuron. 2009 Nov; Pubmed PMID:
Chao HT, Zoghbi HY. "." Proc Natl Acad Sci.. 2009 Mar; Pubmed PMID:
Fyffe SL, Neul JL, Samaco RC, Chao HT, Ben-Shachar S, Moretti P, McGill BE, Goudling EH, Sullivan E, Tecott LH, Zoghbi HY. "." Neuron. 2008 Sep; Pubmed PMID:
Samaco RC, Fryer JD, Ren J, Fyffe S, Chao HT, Sun Y, Greer JJ, Zoghbi HY, Neul JL. "." Hum Mol Genet.. 2008 Jun; Pubmed PMID:
Chao HT, Zoghbi HY, Rosenmund C. "." Neuron. 2007 Oct;56:58-65. Pubmed PMID:
Xue M, Reim K, Chen X, Chao HT, Deng H, Rizo J, Brose N, Rosenmund C. "." Nat Struct Mol Biol.. 2007 Oct; Pubmed PMID:
Chao HT, Chen H, Samaco RC, Xue M, Chahrour M, Yoo J, Neul JL, Gong S, Lu HC, Heintz N, Ekker M, Rubenstein JL, Noebels JL, Rosenmund C, Zoghbi HY "Dysfunction in GABA signalling mediates autism-like stereotypies and Rett syndrome phenotypes.." Nature. 2010;468:263-9.

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Projects

Undiagnosed Epilepsy Genetics Initiative: https://redcap.link/epilepsywgs; Research study for patients diagnosed with epilepsy in infancy or early childhood and previous clinical genetic testing is inconclusive. If eligible, families will receive: • No charge whole-genome sequencing (WGS) or research re-analysis of clinical WGS testing. WGS is one of the most advanced genetic testing types available today • No charge fibroblast RNA-sequencing, one of the advanced genetic testing types to interpret the WGS findings
EBF3 related disorders research study: https://redcap.link/ebf3hadds; Hypotonia Ataxia and Delayed Development Syndrome (HADDS) and 10q26-deletion syndrome are neurodevelopmental disorders caused by genetic changes affecting the EBF3 gene located on chromosome 10q26.3. This study aims to improve our understanding of the natural history of EBF3-related neurodevelopmental disorders and the effects on growth and development. Providers or families may visit the RedCap link to answer basic eligibility questions. A research team member will contact you.
Chromosome 10q26 disorders research study: https://redcap.link/10q26duplication; 10q26-deletion and duplication syndromes are neurodevelopmental disorders caused by genetic changes affecting a region located on chromosome 10q26. This study aims to improve our understanding of the natural history of chromosome 10q26 deletion and duplication neurodevelopmental disorders and the effects on growth and development. Providers or families may visit the RedCap link to answer basic eligibility questions. A research team member will contact you.
EIF2AK1 and EIF2AK2 related disorders research study: https://redcap.link/eif2ak2; LEUDEN syndrome is a neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorder with leukodystrophy caused by genetic changes affecting the EIF2AK2 gene. LEMPSAD syndrome is a neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorder with leukodystrophy caused by genetic changes affecting the EIF2AK1 gene. This study aims to improve our understanding of the natural history of these conditions. Providers or families may visit the RedCap link to answer basic eligibility questions. A research team member will contact you.
STXBP1-related disorders research study: https://redcap.link/stxbp1survey; The STXBP1 Clinical Trial Ready (STARR), is a study focused on developing clinical trial readiness for STXBP1-related disorders, an epileptic and neurodevelopmental condition caused by changes in the STXBP1 gene. STXBP1-related disorders are one of the most common genetic causes of childhood epilepsies. Providers or families may visit the RedCap link to answer basic eligibility questions. A research team member will contact you.
PPFIA3 related disorders research study: https://redcap.link/ppfia3; PPFIA3-related neurodevelopmental disorders is caused by genetic changes affecting the PPFIA3 gene. This study aims to improve our understanding of the natural history of PPFIA3-related neurodevelopmental disorders and the effects on growth and development. Providers or families may visit the RedCap link to answer basic eligibility questions. A research team member will contact you.

Funding

Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Cerebellar Dysfunction in Neurodevelopmental disorders - #1R01NS134596 - 01A1

McNair Scholar Award

DP5 Early Independence Award - #1DP5OD026428: NIH Director's High Risk High Reward Awards Program

Career Award for Medical Scientists

Undiagnosed Epilepsy Genetics

Molecular and Neural Circuit Mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorders

EBF3-related HADDS and 10q26 deletion syndrome

STXBP1 Clinical Trial Readiness Natural History Study (STARR)

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Hsiao-Tuan Chao

Hsiao-Tuan Chao, M.D., Ph.D.

Hsiao-Tuan Chao, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Email

Positions

Addresses

Education

Honors & Awards

Professional Interests

Professional Statement

Websites

Selected Publications

Projects

Funding

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