Andrew Huang, PhD

Professor, Department of Psychology,
Fo Guang University

Phone:

03-9871000 #27114

Email:

chweihuang@mail.fgu.edu.tw

Research Expertise:

Biopsychology, Neuroscience, Neuropsychopharmacology, Addiction Behavior, Animal model for human mental illness, Learning and Memory

About Me.

As a neuroscientist, my research focuses on using animal models to study psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and drug addiction. One of my primary interests is the paradoxical effect hypothesis of drug abuse, which I proposed based on findings that challenge the traditional reward comparison hypothesis. My lab applies optogenetic techniques to investigate how brain regions like the prefrontal cortex and basolateral amygdala mediate both the rewarding and aversive effects of addictive substances.

In parallel, we study PTSD using animal models, examining the roles of the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala, and evaluating the effects of fluoxetine on symptom reduction.

In collaboration with Dr. Shyu at Academia Sinica, I also study central post-stroke pain, aiming to identify key pathways and molecular mechanisms (e.g., BDNF, TrkB, neuroinflammation) involved in pain and comorbid symptoms using optogenetics and chemogenetics.

Additionally, I explore the therapeutic potential of psychiatric drugs for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and cerebral palsy. For example, our recent work suggests that methamphetamine may enhance learning and neural activity in Alzheimer’s models via the prelimbic cortex.

Through these studies, I aim to uncover novel therapeutic mechanisms and repurpose psychiatric medications to treat neurological and psychiatric conditions, ultimately bridging basic neuroscience and clinical applications.

Education

(September 1999 – June 2003)

National Chung Cheng University,
Department of Psychology — Ph.D.

(September 1993 – June 1997)

Chung Yuan Christian University,
Department of Psychology — B.S.

Experience

Office of Academic Affairs,
Fo Guang University
— Section Chief of Registrar
(August 2022 – July 2024)
— Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
(August 2022 – July 2024)
Department of Psychology,
Fo Guang University
— Professor
(February 2017 – Present)
— Associate Professor
(August 2010 – January 2017)
— Assistant Professor
(August 2006 – July 2010)
Institute of Biomedical Sciences,
Academia Sinica, Taiwan
— Visiting Scholar
(January 2015 – June 2015)
— Visiting Scholar
(July 2012 – December 2012)
— Visiting Scholar
(July 2011 – December 2011)
— Visiting Scholar
(January 2011 – June 2011)
Therapeutic Advances
in Psychopharmacology
(SCI, 4.2, Q2)
— Permanent Reviewer,
Editorial Review Board
(October 2024 – Present)
— Guest Editor, Special Issue (2023 – 2024)
Academia Biology
— Editor (2023 – 2024)
Frontiers in Psychology
(SCI, 4.232, Q1)
— Guest Editor, Special Issue (2022 – 2023)
Frontiers in Psychiatry
(SCI, 5.435, Q2)
— Guest Editor, Special Issue (2022 – 2023)
Biomedicines (SCI, 6.081, Q1)
— Topic Editor, Topic Issue
(2022 – Present)
Cells (SCI, 6.600, Q2)
— Topic Editor, Topic Issue
(2022 – Present)
International Journal of
Molecular Sciences
(SCI, 5.924, Q1)
— Topic Editor, Topic Issue
(2022 – Present)
Journal of Clinical Medicine (SCI, 4.242, Q1)
— Topic Editor, Topic Issue
(2022 – Present)
— Guest Editor, Special Issue (2021 – 2022)
Brain Sciences (SCI, 3.394, Q3)
— Topic Editor, Topic Issue
(2022 – Present)
Neurology International
(SCI, 3.2, Q2)
— Topic Editor, Topic Issue
(2025 – Present)
Behavioural Neurology
(SCI, 3.342, Q2)
— Leading Editor, Special Issue (2021 – 2022)

Patent

2021 – Wireless Remote-Controlled Magnetic Resonance Device for Optogenetic Modulation of Neural Cells (Taiwan Invention Patent No. I740225)
2022 – A Wireless Magnetic Resonance Device for Optogenetic Applications in Animal Model (U.S. Patent No. US 11,471,699 B2)

Honors

Full Member, Sigma Xi,
The Scientific Research Honor Society
(2023-now).
Served as Program Evaluation Committee Member, Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan, 2025
Served as Program Evaluation Committee Member, Taiwan Assessment and Evaluation Association, 2024
Contributing Author for Special Issues, Teacher Chang Monthly, 2024–2025
Invited Member, Public Affairs Committee, Taiwan Brain Bank Association (from 2024/09/20)
Experimental Biology and Medicine (EBM) Outstanding Reviewer Award (2021/12).

National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Distinguished Talent Awards

Recipient of the "2024 NSTC University Research Talent Award" (August 1, 2024 – July 31, 2025).
Recipient of the "2023 NSTC University Research Talent Award" (August 1, 2023 – July 31, 2024).
Recipient of the "2022 NSTC University Research Talent Award" (August 1, 2022 – July 31, 2023).
Recipient of the "2020 Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) University Research Talent Award" (August 1, 2020 – July 31, 2021).
Recipient of the "2019 MOST University Research Talent Award" (August 1, 2019 – July 31, 2020).
Recipient of the "2018 MOST University Research Talent Award" (August 1, 2018 – July 31, 2019).
Recipient of the "2017 MOST Distinguished Talent Award for Universities and Colleges" (August 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018).
Recipient of the "2016 MOST Distinguished Talent Award for Universities and Colleges" (August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017).
Recipient of the "2015 MOST Distinguished Talent Award for Universities and Colleges" (August 1, 2015 – July 31, 2016).
Recipient of the "2014 National Science Council (NSC) Distinguished Talent Award for Universities and Colleges" (August 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015).
Recipient of the "2013 NSC Distinguished Talent Award for Universities and Colleges" (August 1, 2013 – July 31, 2014).
Recipient of the "2012 NSC Distinguished Talent Award for Universities and Colleges" (August 1, 2012 – July 31, 2013).
Recipient of the "2011 NSC Distinguished Talent Award for Universities and Colleges" (August 1, 2011 – July 31, 2012).
Recipient of the "2010 NSC Distinguished Talent Award for Universities and Colleges" (October 1, 2010 – July 31, 2011).
Recipient of the "Flexible Salary Incentive for Full-Time Teaching and Research Talent – Academic Research Category, Fo Guang University, 2021 Academic Year" (August 2021 – July 2022).