CV
Curriculum Vitae
Selected Publications Google Scholar β
Lu Z*, Anns J*, Mai Y*, Xu S*β et al. Getting over ANOVA: Estimation graphics for multi-group comparisons. (co-corresponding, in revision). bioRxiv 2026.
Xu S et al. Contextualized ethomics reveals a Drosophila
serotonergic circuit controlling satiety. (in revision).
Xu Sβ , Das G, Hueske E, Tonegawa Sβ . Dorsal raphe serotonergic neurons
control intertemporal choice under trade-off. Current Biology 2017;
27(22):3440β3451. (Co-corresponding; 48 citations.)
Zhang X, Xu S, Ho J, Stewart JC, Claridge-Chang A. A mushroom-body
output neuron that mediates octopamine-driven and hunger-motivated feeding in
Drosophila. bioRxiv 2026.
Ott S, Xu S, Lee N, Hong I, Anns J, et al. Kalium channelrhodopsins
effectively inhibit neurons. Nature Communications 2024; 15:3480.
Xu S, Zhang X, Cheung KY, Mai Y, Wu Y, Claridge-Chang A.
Long-Stokes-Shift mScarlet3 as a structural marker for two-photon imaging.
bioRxiv 2026.
Bari A, Xu S et al. Differential attentional control mechanisms by
two distinct noradrenergic pathways. PNAS 2020; 117(46):29080β29089.
(119 citations.)
Kim J, ..., Xu S, Tonegawa S. Antagonistic negative and positive
neurons of the basolateral amygdala. Nature Neuroscience 2016;
19(12):1636β1646. (550 citations.)
Experience
Senior Research Fellow β Duke-NUS Medical School Singapore
2026βpresent
Computational ethomics for internal state detection. Epitranscriptomics of native RNA states.
Senior Research Fellow / Research Fellow β IMCB, A*STAR Singapore
2017β2026
Automatic behavior tracking. Estimation statistics. Computational ethomics. Epitranscriptomics of native RNA states.
Postdoctoral Associate β Tonegawa Lab, MIT
2016β2017
Characterised serotonergic control of intertemporal choice in mice (Current Biology 2017).
Education
PhD Systems Neuroscience β MIT
2016
Supervisor: Susumu Tonegawa. Dissertation: Control of intertemporal choice by dorsal raphe serotonergic neurons.
BS Biology (Minor: Music) β UC San Diego
2007
Supervisor: Charles Zuker. Undergraduate Dissertation: A Novel Trans-Synaptic Neuronal Tracing Strategy.
Technical Skills
Python
R
Git
nbdev
Quarto
pandas
NumPy
SciPy
PyTorch
matplotlib
LLM-as-Judge
DSPy
LangGraph
Claude API
agentic evals
adversarial red-teaming
prompt engineering
bootstrap CI
effect size estimation
uncertainty quantification
causal inference
A/B testing
experimental design
Oxford Nanopore
direct RNA-seq
epitranscriptomics
DeepLabCut
SLEAP
SQL
Recognition
Outstanding Short Talk Award β Neuroscience Singapore 2025
Gold Medal β 17th International Festival of Advent and Christmas Music, Prague, 2007
Honourable Mention β Singapore Physics Olympiad, 2002
Teaching
GMS6812 Modern Data Analysis for Biomedical Research (Teaching Assistant)
Duke-NUS, Feb 2023
Evidence Session: Modern Data Analysis for Biomedical Research (Teaching Assistant)
Duke-NUS, Oct 2022
YSC4229 Molecular Neuroscience β Genes, Brains, and Behaviour (Guest Lecturer)
Yale-NUS, March 2023
GMS6812 Modern Data Analysis for Biomedical Research (Teaching Assistant)
Duke-NUS, Feb 2022
Evidence Session: Modern Data Analysis for Biomedical Research (Teaching Assistant)
Duke-NUS, Oct 2021
YSC4229 Molecular Neuroscience β Genes, Brains, and Behaviour (Guest Lecturer)
Yale-NUS, March 2021
9.013 Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience II (Graduate)
MIT, Spring 2011
9.301 Neural Plasticity in Learning and Memory (Graduate)
MIT, Spring 2010
9.150 Biochemistry and Pharmacology of Synaptic Transmission (Undergraduate)
MIT, Fall 2009
Walle Nauta Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching β MIT, 2011
Service
Society for Neuroscience, Singapore Chapter (Treasurer)
Singapore, 2021β2024
Society for Neuroscience, Singapore Chapter (Director of Membership)
Singapore, 2018β2020
Media Coverage
Duke-NUS researchers develop light-controlled βswitchβ for brain cells to better study the brain. The Straits Times (July 15, 2024).
Two Distinct Ways the Brain Stays Focused and Curbs Impulses. Psychology Today (November 6, 2020).
A delicate balance between positive and negative emotion. MIT Press (October 17, 2016).
Arts
Painter β 22nd UOB Painting of the Year Exhibition, Singapore, 2003
Ceramicist β The Art of the Cup, Cambridge, MA, USA, 2014