Chemical
Neuroscience
Laboratory
Welcome to the Chemical Neuroscience Lab @ UIUC!
Our Research
While individual neurons are themselves sophisticated processors, the true computing power of the brain emerges from the massive connections each neuron makes with thousands of other neurons (i.e., connectome). Yet, how the brain connectome gives rise to its sophisticated functions and how it is altered by neuropsychiatric diseases remain largely unknown. Our lab at the interface of chemistry and neuroscience focuses on developing innovative biochemical tools, advanced microscopy techniques, and computation methods to understand brain connectivity in health and diseases.
News
January
2026
Lab renovation is complete! We’ll be moving into our brand‑new lab space and office soon!
December
2025
Lu Lab’s 1st Holiday Party! We enjoyed a cozy holiday lunch at the Black Dog Smoke & Ale House. Great food, great company, and plenty more to look forward to next year 🎄🎁
November
2025
A warm welcome to Kai! Our new PhD student in chemistry and the latest addition to the lab. We’re excited to finally have him join us after his rotations.
October
2025
🔬 Our Leica Ultramicrotome finaly arrived! We are ready to build our platform to map brain circuits!
August
2025
Welcome to the lab, Mumu! She join as a lab techician of neuroscience and will be working on an exciting collaboration with the Maren lab.
July
2025
Congratulations to Dylan on being selected for the Chemistry–Biology Interface Training Program! We're excited to see all that lies ahead.
June
2025
Congraduations to Ethan Chen on receiving the Teaching Excellence Fellowship! Ethan did an outstanding job in TAing Xiaotang’s CHEM 588 course.
March
2025
Welcome Lynn! She joins us from Taiwan as a PhD student in Bioengineering and will spearhead the development of our new multiplex imaging method.
Join us!
We are excited to have you join our interdisciplinary team to unravel the mysteries of the brain.
Graduate Students. Students interested in graduate training in the lab can first apply to one graduate program such as Chemistry, Bioengineering and Neuroscience. If you are a current UIUC graduate student interested in a rotation, please email Xiaotang.
Postdocs. Prospective postdocs with expertise in chemical biology, neurobiology, microscopy, and computer science are encouraged to apply! Please email Xiaotang a cover letter, CV, and contact information of your references.
Undergraduate Students. If you are interested in conducting research and annotating brain circuit images, please email Xiaotang your CV and a short description of your research interests.