Bio


Dr. Niushen Zhang is a board-certified neurologist and Chief of the Headache Division in the Department of Neurology. She has a special interest in developing personalized treatment plans for headache patients which incorporate the use of complementary and integrative medicine. She is the Chair of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Special Interest Section of the American Headache Society (AHS). Her research interests include acupuncture for the treatment of migraine, the impact of diet and nutrition on migraine, and the relationship between cannabis use and medication overuse headache in people with chronic migraine. In addition, she participates in clinical trials of new headache treatments for migraine and cluster headache. Dr. Zhang is also actively involved in medical education. She is the Director of the Headache Fellowship Program at Stanford. She serves as a member of the AHS Match Task Force and the AHS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. She is also a curriculum developer for AHS's REACH Program. She spearheaded the design and creation of the AHS National Headache Fellowship Opportunities website which serves as a central resource for all headache fellowship applicants and promotes the AAN's unified fellowship application timeline.

Dr. Zhang graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. She earned an MD from the New York University School of Medicine. She completed neurology residency and fellowship in headache and facial pain at Stanford University.

Clinical Focus


  • Neurology
  • Headache and Facial Pain

Academic Appointments


Administrative Appointments


  • Chief, Headache Medicine Division (2022 - Present)
  • Director, Headache Fellowship Program (2018 - Present)

Professional Education


  • Board Certification, United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, Headache Medicine
  • Board Certified Neurologist, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
  • Headache Fellowship, Stanford University
  • Neurology Residency, Stanford University
  • Internal Medicine Internship, California Pacific Medical Center
  • M.D., New York University School of Medicine
  • B.S., Yale University