Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Showing 11-20 of 27 Results
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Yu Zhang
Assistant Professor (Research) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Public Mental Health and Population Sciences)
BioDr. Yu Zhang's research operates at the intersection of AI, translational neuroscience, and precision medicine. His work focuses on unraveling the complex neurobiological mechanisms underlying cognitive deficits, behavioral dysfunctions, and therapeutic responses in mental health disorders. By integrating advanced machine learning techniques with multimodal brain imaging modalities (e.g., fMRI, DTI, EEG), Dr. Zhang aims to identify neural signatures that reveal the heterogeneity of mental disorders across individuals. A central goal of his research is the development and validation of robust neurobiomarkers to improve diagnostic accuracy, refine prognostic assessments, and guide personalized treatment strategies. His work systematically characterizes brain function and dysfunction to optimize therapeutic interventions, including pharmacological treatments, psychotherapy, and neurostimulation. He is particularly focused on conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dimentia, mood disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., ADHD, ASD), where individualized approaches are essential for improving patient outcomes.
Dr. Zhang has received multiple grants including the NIH R01, R21, Eagles Autism Foundation Translational Grant, Alzheimer's Association Research Grant (AARG), and the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience and the Rosenkranz Foundation Grants. Beyond foundational research, Dr. Zhang is committed to bridging the gap between computational innovation and clinical application. By collaborating with clinicians, neuroscientists, and engineers, he strives to translate data-driven insights into actionable tools for real-world healthcare settings. His long-term vision is to enable mental health diagnostics and treatment to be guided by objective, biologically grounded biomarkers, thereby enhancing quality of life and long-term outcomes for individuals with psychiatric and neurological conditions.
The Stanford Precision NeuroIntelligence (SPNI) Lab, led by Dr. Zhang, is dedicated to advancing research in AI-driven neuroimaging and precision psychiatry. The lab develops and applies cutting-edge machine learning and deep learning methods to uncover neurobiological mechanisms associated with cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions, as well as treatment responses in mental health conditions. Its mission is to identify translational biomarkers that support precision diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted interventions for mood disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. -
Yuan Zhang
Basic Life Research Scientist, Psych/Major Laboratories and Clinical & Translational Neurosciences Incubator
Current Role at StanfordBasic Life Research Scientist
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Kanhao Zhao
Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychiatry
BioDr. Zhao is a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University specializing in computational neuroscience, neuroimaging, and integrative multi-omics approaches to brain health. His research integrates supervised and unsupervised machine learning, functional neuroimaging, microbiome sequencing, metabolomics, and large-scale clinical datasets (e.g., Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) to investigate how modifiable risk factors such as obesity, diet, and gut dysbiosis contribute to accelerated brain aging, cognitive vulnerability, and psychiatric symptoms.
His work focuses on developing multimodal frameworks that combine functional brain connectivity, cognitive and emotional phenotyping, microbiome profiles, and metabolomic signatures to uncover biological mechanisms underlying early cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric disorders. Through these approaches, Dr. Zhao aims to identify personalized intervention strategies—including dietary modification, microbiome-targeted therapies, and metabolite-guided treatments—to mitigate obesity-related brain aging and reduce the risk of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, anxiety, and depression.
In addition to translational neuroscience research, Dr. Zhao develops machine learning and computational methods for biomarker discovery, disease prediction, and precision psychiatry. His recent work also explores autonomous AI research agents and self-improving computational systems for large-scale neuroimaging and multi-omics analysis. He serves as a peer reviewer for leading journals including Nature Mental Health, Medical Image Analysis, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, and Neuropsychopharmacology. -
Yanan Zhao
Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychiatry
BioYanan completed her Ph.D. degree at Fudan University, where she uncovered the mechanisms of sleep transitions from the evolutionary point of view in Dr Zhili Huang’s lab, with a combination of optogenetics, in vivo electrophysiology, fiber photometry, polysomnography, immunohistochemistry and so on. In the de Lecea lab, Yanan is now curious about how sleep regulates the balance between DNA damage and repair with approaches of imaging. At the same time, she is interested in larger scale imaging during different brain states. Outside the lab, Yanan enjoys biking and exploring the sunny bay area.
