Mengjie (Emma) Wang, PhD

I am a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Yong Xu’s lab at the University of South Florida, where I study how hypothalamic circuits integrate nutritional and hormonal signals to regulate reproduction, metabolism, and behavior. My work uses genetic, viral, and circuit-level approaches to uncover how estrogen and leptin signaling shape fertility, sexual behavior, and energy balance, with the long-term goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets for metabolic and reproductive disorders. Outside the lab, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading, swimming, biking, and exploring Tampa. Challenges forge the path, while love makes it worth walking.