Research Interests:

Systems Neuroscience

• Neuroplasticity and Rare Diseases: Systems-level investigation of Tyrosine Hydroxylase Deficiency (THD) and its impact on brain function and neural circuits.
• Pain Mechanisms: Molecular and cellular studies of neuropathic and orofacial pain.
• Regenerative Medicine: Cell-based therapies for nerve repair and tissue engineering, with a focus on orofacial applications.

Work:

As Senior Engineer at the UiB Dental School, I support research infrastructure and laboratory operations, providing expertise in histology, cell biology, and neuroscience research methodologies.

Selected Scientific Publications 

     Key Recent Work (Rare Disease and THD focus):

• Han L, Lyu G-W, Rolfsnes HO, Martinez A and Shi T-J. Adaptive brain atrophy: linking energy failure to accelerated aging in a model of THD type B (Manuscript).
• Shi T-J, Jung-KC K, Lyu G-W, Han L, Ying M, Thöny B, and Martinez A (2026) Tyrosine hydroxylase deficiency impairs TH axonal transport, brain function, and neuronal plasticity. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease (In press; full manuscript available upon request).
• Sanz M, Gjerde C, Gjertsen BT, Ortiz-Vigón A, Sanchez N, Hoornaert A, Caballe-Serrano J, Giralt-Hernando M, Gaultier F, Reinald N, Pinholt EM, Rojewski M, Rouard H, Chevallier N, Mohamed-Ahmed S, Shi X, Shi T-J, Schrezenmeier H, Layrolle P, Mustafa K (2025)  Bone Augmentation of Atrophic Alveolar Ridges Using a Synthetic Bone Substitute With Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial. Clin Oral Implants Res. Aug 22. doi: 10.1111/clr.70025.

• Aubi O, Prestegård KS, Jung-KC K, Shi T-J, Ying M, Scherer T, Grindheim AK, Ulvik A, McCann A, Spriet A, Thöny B, Martinez A (2021) The Pah-R261Q mouse model reveals oxidative stress associated with amyloid-like hepatic aggregation of mutant phenylalanine hydroxylase. Nature Communications, 12:2073.

  Foundational Neuroscience and Pain: 

  • Lyu C, Lyu G-W, Mulder J, Martinez A, Shi T-J (2020) G Protein-Gated Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Channel Subunit 3 is Upregulated in Rat DRGs and Spinal Cord After Peripheral Nerve Injury. J Pain Res, 13: 419–429.

   • Lynds R, Lyu C, Lyu GW, Shi X-Q, Rosen A, Mustafa K, Shi T-J (2017) Neuronal plasticity of trigeminal ganglia in mice following nerve injury. J of Pain Res, 10:349-357. 

  • Lyu C, Mulder J, Barde S, Sahlholm K, Zeberg H, Nilsson J, Århem P, Hökfelt T, Fried K, Shi T-J (2015) G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channel subunits 1 and 2 are down-regulated in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons and spinal cord after peripheral axotomy. Mol Pain, 11:44. 

  • Shi T-J, Xiang Q, Zhang MD, Barde S, Kai-Larsen Y, Fried K, Josephson A, Glück L, Deyev SM, Zvyagin AV, Schulz S, Hökfelt T (2014) Somatostatin and its 2A receptor in dorsal root ganglia and dorsal horn of mouse and human: expression, trafficking and possible role in pain. Mol Pain, 13: 10:12. 

  • Shi T-J, Zhang M-D, Zeberg H, Nilsson J, Grünler J, Liu S-X, Xiang Q, Persson J, Fried KJ, Catrina SB, Watanabe M, Arhem P, Brismar K, Hökfelt T (2013) Coenzyme Q10 prevents peripheral neuropathy and attenuates neuron loss in the db-/db- mouse, a type 2 diabetes model. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 110: 690-5. 

  • Shi T-J, Xiang Q, Zhang M-D, Tortoriello G, Hammarberg H, Mulder J, Fried K, Wagner L, Josephson A, Uhlén M, Harkany T, Hökfelt T (2012) Secretagogin is expressed in sensory CGRP neurons and in spinal cord of mouse and complements other calcium-binding proteins, with a note on rat and human. Mol Pain, 29:80. 

  • Shi T-J, Liu SX, Hammarberg H, Watanabe M, Xu ZQ, Hökfelt T (2008) Phospholipase C beta3 in mouse and human dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord is a possible target for treatment of neuropathic pain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 105:20004-8. 

  • Shi T-J, Li J-Y, Dahlström A, Pedrazzini T and Hökfelt T (2006) Deletion of the neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor affects pain sensitivity, neuropeptide transport and expression, and dorsal root ganglion neuron numbers. Neuroscience, 140:293-304. 

  • Shi T-J, Tandrup T, Bergman T, Xu Z-Q and Hökfelt T (2001) Effect of peripheral nerve injury on neuron number and peptide expression in mouse dorsal root ganglia. Neurosciene, 105: 249-263. 

  • Shi T-J, Winzer-Serhan U, Leslie F and Hökfelt T (2000) Distribution and regulation of Alpha2-adrenergic receptors in rat dorsal root ganglia. Pain, 84: 319-330. 

  • Shi T-J, Cui J-G, Meyerson B, Linderoth B and Hökfelt T (1999) Expression of neuropeptide Y and galanin mRNA in rat dorsal root ganglia in four peripheral nerve injury models. Neuroscience, 93: 741-757. 

  • Shi T-J, Holmberg K, Xu Z-Q, Steinbusch H, Vente J D and Hökfelt T (1997). Effect of peripheral nerve injury on cGMP and nitric oxide synthase expression in rat dorsal root ganglia: Time course and coexistence. Pain, 78:171-180.