SHUN-CHIAO CHANG
EDUCATION
Harvard School of Public Health
Doctor of Science in Epidemiology
Major Field: Epidemiology
Minor Field: Biostatistics and Genetic Epidemiology
Dissertation: The Investigation of Common Genetic Variation in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Boston, MA
May 2010
Taipei, Taiwan
National Taiwan University
May 2003
Master of Science in Epidemiology
Thesis: Association between Genetic Polymorphisms in Estrogen Signaling Pathway and Female
Hepatocellular Carcinoma In A Case-Control Study: Independent and Complex Interactive Effect Analysis
National Taiwan University
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
Taipei, Taiwan
May 2001
RESEARCH INTERESTS
 Understanding risk factors as well as protective factors underlying psychiatric disorders and other
chronic diseases including obesity, coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes
 Molecular mechanisms (including biomarkers, genetics, epigenetics, and proteomics) underlying
complex disorders, particularly psychiatric disorders
 Understanding how molecular profiles change in response to exogenous and endogenous environmental
exposures (gene-environment interactions), including psychological, dietary, behavioral, and
environmental factors, including socioeconomic position, modify an individual’s genetic susceptibility to
diseases and health disparities
 Understanding gender- and race-specific effects on mental health and physical health
RESEARCH KEYWORDS
Genetic epidemiology, genomewide-association study, epigenetics, Mendelian randomization, geneenvironment interaction, epidemiology, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, positive
psychology
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Boston, MA
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health
2010-2015
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
 Investigated genetic and molecular variation and gene-environment interaction on risk for
posttraumatic stress disorder
 Examined epigenetic signatures between socioeconomic position and risk of mental illness
 Performed Mendelian Randomization analysis to investigate the effects of obesity and type 2
diabetes on depression and anxiety, creating polygenic risk scores as an instrumental variable
 Conducted meta-analysis of genome-wide association data to examine the effects of common genetic
variations on depression and social relationship
 Investigated the association between social integration and the risk of coronary heart disease
 Managed data cleaning and merging, quality control, statistical analysis, literature review, and
manuscript writing
Boston, MA
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health
2004-2005
Research Assistant
 Worked on a meta-analysis project evaluating the effects of environmental risk factors on 27
different health outcomes
 Made decisions about whether manuscripts provided relevant information to be included in the metaanalysis
 Managed data extraction, Mandarin to English translation
CONSULTING EXPERIENCE
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SHUN-CHIAO CHANG
Boston, MA
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Department of Medicine
2005-2007
Epidemiology Consultant , Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy
 Conducted statistical analyses for multiple hormone receptor genes, performing SNP and haplotype
association analyses, gene-environment and gene-gene interaction analyses, on the risk of rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) in case-control studies nested in Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) I and II cohorts
 Developed and implemented new analytic methods to study gene-environment interaction between the
strongest risk factor for RA, HLA-DRB1, and smoking exposures in the NHS dataset
 Performed prospective cohort analyses of associations between geographic variation and the risk of
RA in women
INTERNSHIP
Taipei, Taiwan
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention
2000
Intern, Division of Surveillance and Investigation
 Participated in disease surveillance and investigation
 Wrote reports and presented findings and recommendations to local public health leaderships
COMMUNITY SERVICE
National Taiwan University Public Health Service Team
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Taipei, Taiwan
Summer 1999-2000
Provided public health services and concepts to villagers in remote areas
Conducted survey studies to investigate and to improve public health conditions in an individual level
as well as the village level
Implemented health education based on the local needs
INVITED LECTURES
Guest lecturer in Molecular Biology for Epidemiologists course
Genetic Association Studies
Fall 2006
PUBLICATIONS
Published
1. Yu MW, Chang HC, Chang SC, Liaw YF, Lin SM, Liu CJ, Lee SD, Lin CL, Chen PJ, Lin SC, Chen
CJ. Role of reproductive factors in hepatocellular carcinoma: Impact on hepatitis B- and C-related
risk. Hepatology. 2003;38(6):1393-400.
2. Costenbader KH, Chang SC, De Vivo I, Plenge R, Karlson EW. PTPN22, PADI-4 and CTLA-4
Genetic Polymorphisms and Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Two Longitudinal Cohort Studies:
Evidence of Gene-Environment Interactions with Heavy Cigarette Smoking. Arthritis Research &
Therapy. 2008;10(3):R52.
3. Costenbader KH, Chang SC, Laden F, Puett R, Karlson EW. Geographic Variation in Rheumatoid
Arthritis Incidence among Women in the United States. Archives of Internal Medicine;
2008;168(15):1664-1670.
4. Karlson EW, Chang SC, Cui J, Chibnik LB, Fraser PA, Devivo I, Costenbader KH. Geneenvironment interaction between HLA-DRB1 shared epitope and heavy cigarette smoking in
predicting incident RA. Ann Rheum Dis. 2010;69(1):54-60.
5. Karlson EW, Chibnik LB, McGrath M, Chang SC, Keenan BT, Costenbader KH, Fraser PA,
Tworoger S, Hankinson SE, Lee IM, Buring J, De Vivo I. A prospective study of androgen levels,
hormone-related genes and risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Res Ther. 2009;11(3):R97.
6. Weiss LA, Arking DE, The Gene Discovery Project of Johns Hopkins, the Autism Consortium
(AGRE genome scan team: Weiss LA, Green T, Chang SC, Gabriel S, Gates C, Hanson EM, Kirby
A, Korn J, Kuruvilla F, McCarroll S, Morrow EM, Neale B, Purcell S, Sasanfar R, Sougnez C,
Stevens C, Altshuler D, Gusella J, Santangelo SL, Sklar P, Tanzi R, Daly MJ). A genome-wide
linkage and association scan reveals novel loci for autism. Nature. 2009;461(7265):802-808.
7. Chang SC, Pauls DL, Lange C, Sasanfar R, Santangelo SL. Common genetic variation in the GAD1
gene and the entire family of DLX homeobox genes and autism spectrum disorders. Am J Med Genet
B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2011;156(2):233-9.
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SHUN-CHIAO CHANG
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Uddin M, Galea S, Chang SC, Aiello AE, Wildman DE, de los Santos R, Koenen KC; Gene
expression and methylation signatures of MAN2C1 are associated with PTSD. Dis Markers. 2011;
30(2-3):111-21.
Koenen KC, Uddin M, Chang SC, Aiello AE, Wildman DE, Goldman E, Galea S. SLC6A4
methylation modifies the effect of number of traumatic events on risk for posttraumatic stress disorder.
Depress Anxiety. 2011;28(8):639-47.
Cornelis MC, Glymour MM, Chang SC, Tchetgen EJ, Liang L, Koenen KC, Kang JH, Pasquale LP,
Rimm EB, Kawachi I, Kubzansky LD. Oxytocin receptor (OXTR) is not associated with optimism in
the Nurses' Health Study. Mol Psychiatry. 2012;17(12):1157-9.
Chang SC, Koenen KC, Galea S, Aiello AE, Soliven R, Wildman DE, Uddin M. Molecular variation
at the SLC6A3 locus predicts lifetime risk of PTSD in the Detroit Neighborhood Health Study. PLoS
One. 2012;7(6):e39184:1-6.
Chang SC, Xie P, Anton RF, De Vivo I, Farrer LA, Kranzler HR, Oslin D, Purcell SM, Roberts RL,
Smoller JW, Uddin M, Gelernter J, Koenen KC. No association between ADCYAP1R1 and posttraumatic stress disorder in two independent samples. Mol Psychiatry. 2012;17(3):239-41.
Uddin M, Chang SC, Zhang C, Ressler K, Galea S, Keyes KM, McLaughlin K, Wildman DE, Aiello
AE, Koenen KC. ADCYAP1R1 genotype, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression among
women exposed to childhood maltreatment. Depression and Anxiety. 2013;30(3):251-8.
Uddin M, Galea S, Chang SC, Koenen KC, Goldmann E, Wildman DE, Aiello AE. Epigenetic
Signatures May Explain the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Position and Risk of Mental Illness:
Preliminary Findings from an Urban Community Based Sample. Biodemography and Social Biology.
2013;59(1):68-84.
Chang SC, Pauls DL, Lange C, Sasanfar R, Santangelo SL. Sex-specific Association of a Common
Variant of the XG Gene with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet
2013;162(7):742-50.
Chang SC, Glymour MM, Rewak M, Cornelis M, Walter S, Koenen KC, Liang L, Tchetgen EJ,
Kawachi I, Kubzansky LD. Are oxytoxin pathway genes important to social integration? Results from
two large U.S. cohorts. Psychoneuroendocrinology [in press]
Walter S, Glymour MM, Liang L, Tchetgen EJ, Koenen K, Cornelis M, Chang SC, Rimm E, Kawachi
I, Kubzansky LD. On the Genetics of Phobic Anxiety: Considering a Polygenic Score. PLoS One [in
press]
Under Revision
18. Chang SC, Glymour MM, Walter S, Liang L, Koenen KC, Tchetgen EJ, Cornelis M, Kawachi I,
Rimm EB, Kubzansky LD. Candidate and genome-wide polygenic scoring for a 14-year long-term
average depressive symptom phenotype [submitted to Brain and Behavior]
Under Preparation
19. Chang SC, Glymour MM, Rewak M, Cornelis M, Walter S, Koenen KC, Liang L, Tchetgen EJ,
Kawachi I, Rimm EB, Kubzansky LD. Social integration on coronary heart disease incidence in
women: prospective findings from Nurses’ Health Study
20. Chang SC, Walter S, Glymour MM, Tchetgen EJ, Liang L, Cornelis M, Koenen KC, Kawachi I,
Rimm EB, Kubzansky LD. The effect of type 2 diabetes on depression and anxiety: a Mendelian
Randomization Study
21. Cornelis MC, Chiuve SE, Glymour MM, Chang SC, Tchetgen EJ, Liang L, Koenen KC, Rimm EB,
Kawachi I, Kubzansky LD. Marital status and risk of type 2 diabetes in the Health Professionals
Follow-up Study.
22. Walter S, Glymour MM, Tchetgen EJ, Liang L, Cornelis M, Chang SC, Koenen KC, Kawachi I,
Rimm EB, Kubzansky LD. Does elevated BMI increase risk of anxiety? Evidence for a shared genetic
risk factor
23. Walter S, Tchetgen EJ, Liang L, Cornelis M, Chang SC, Koenen KC, Kawachi I, Rimm EB,
Kubzansky LD, Glymour MM. Revisiting Mendelian Randomization studies of the effect of BMI on
depression
24. Boehm JK, Chang SC, Kubzansky LD. Positive psychological well-being and risk of coronary heart
disease and type 2 diabetes: findings from Nurses’ Health Studies
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SHUN-CHIAO CHANG
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
1. “Sex-Specific Genetic Effect of Autism Spectrum Disorders in a Genome-Wide Association
Analysis.” International Meeting for Autism Research, May 2010
CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS/POSTERS
1. “The PTPN22 polymorphism and the risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from the Nurses’ Health
Study” ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting, 2005
2. “Geographic Variation and the Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Women” ACR/ARHP Annual
Scientific Meeting, 2006
3. “Gene-environment Interactions Between Heavy Cigarette Smoking and HLA-DRB1 Shared Epitope
in Predicting Incident RA, Data from a Two Large Prospective Cohort Studies” FOCIS Annual
Meeting, 2007
4. “Socioeconomic position modifies methylation status of nervous-system-related loci to predict PTSD”
IGSS Annual conference, 2011
5. “The Causal Effect of Obesity on Anxiety: Genetic IV analyses in the HRS Study” SER Annual
Meeting, 2013
6. “A Genetic IV Analysis to Assess the Effect of Body Mass Index on Depression in the HRS Study”
SER Annual Meeting, 2013
7. “Candidate and genome-wide polygenic scoring for a 14-year long-term average depressive symptom
phenotype” World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics, 2013
JOURNAL REFEREE
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Nature Genetics
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Depression and Anxiety
PLoS ONE
Human Molecular Genetics
Archives of General Psychiatry
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Harvard School of Public Health
Teaching Assistant
 Introductory Statistics for Medical Research (John Orav, ~175 students)
 Advanced Statistics for Medical Research (John Orav, ~120 students)
 Statistics for Medical Research II (George Reed, ~40 students)
 Fundamentals of Epidemiology (Albert Hofman, ~40 students)
 Molecular Biology for Epidemiologists (Immaculata De Vivo, ~40 students)
 Principles of Epidemiology (Julie Buring, ~120 students)
National Taiwan University
Teaching Assistant
 Case Study on Epidemiology (Ming-Whei Yu, ~40 students)
HONORS & AWARDS
Harvard School of Public Health
 Certificate of Distinction (teaching award of Dept. of Epidemiology)
 Departmental Honors
 Taiwanese Physicians’ Scholarship
 Wang Yuan-Chun Memorial Scholarship Award
 Harvard Club of the Republic of Taiwan Scholarship
National Taiwan University
 Kingstone Medical Charity Foundation Scholarship
 Presidential Award
Boston, MA
Summer 2008-2012
Summer 2008-2011
Summer 2011
Summer 2007
Fall 2005-2007
Fall 2005-2007
Taipei, Taiwan
Fall 2002-2003
Boston, MA
2006-2007
2005
2003-2004
2003
2003
Taipei, Taiwan
2000
2000
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SHUN-CHIAO CHANG
SKILLS
Data analysis tools: SAS, R, SPSS, STATA, PLINK, FBAT
Programming languages: Perl
Operating system: Linux/Unix OS, MS-Windows, Mac OS
Bench work: PCR-RELP, real-time PCR, pyrosequencing
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