Zhu Xinhong, male, Ph.D. (born May 1968), CPC member; Professor (Level II) and Ph.D. Supervisor, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology; Director, Brain Diseases and Health Research Center, Guangdong Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy Laboratory (Guangzhou). Research focus: shared pathophysiological mechanisms and translational prevention and intervention of major neuropsychiatric disorders, with emphasis on depression, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease; multiscale mechanistic studies from molecular and cellular processes to animal models and clinical specimens; integration of biomedicine with artificial intelligence to enable complex-disease mechanism discovery and to develop strategies for early warning (risk prediction), early diagnosis, and early intervention. Grants and projects: National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Distinguished Young Scholars Fund, NSFC Key Programs, and the Science and Technology Innovation 2030 (STI 2030) – Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Project (mechanisms of depression and intervention technologies). Publications: 50+ SCI-indexed papers as corresponding author in Cell, Nature Medicine, Neuron, and related journals. Awards & IP: Second Prize of the State Natural Science Award; First Prize of Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Award (×2); 3 granted Chinese invention patents; 1 PCT application and 8 Chinese invention patent applications.
Sep 2002 – Jun 2005, First Military Medical University of the People’s Liberation Army, Ph.D. in Neurobiology
Sep 1999 – Jun 2002, First Military Medical University of the People’s Liberation Army, M.M. in Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine
Sep 1986 – Jun 1991, Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, B.M. in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Sep 1983 – Jun 1986, Shangcai Senior High School
Research is focused on severe mental disorders, with an emphasis on mechanistic elucidation and translational prevention strategies enabled by the integration of biomedicine and artificial intelligence. Multi-level evidence is generated across molecules, cells, neural circuits, whole-animal models, and clinical specimens, with a focus on bidirectional translation between basic discoveries and clinical observations. Population-based screening is performed to support the development of early warning, early diagnosis, and early intervention strategies. Original breakthroughs are pursued, and the clinical translation of fundamental research is accelerated to strengthen national capabilities in the prevention and control of mental disorders and to contribute to the Healthy China initiative.
Undergraduate Teaching: Neurobiology
Undergraduate Faculty Mentorship Program: Research on the Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders; Research on Novel Strategies for the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease; Research on Mechanisms of Brain Iron Metabolism
Graduate Teaching: Introduction to Brain Science
- Ding J, Zhu MZ,Discovery of Phenylacylpiperidine as Novel sEH Inhibitors through Scaffold Hopping of Natural Stilbene,J Med Chem. ,2025 Apr 24
- Li HY, Zhu MZ,A thalamic-primary auditory cortex circuit mediates resilience to stress,Cell,2023 Mar 30
- Dai Y, Dong J,Enhancement of the liver's neuroprotective role ameliorates traumatic brain injury pathology,Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. ,2023 Jun 27
- Wu Y, Dong JH,Hepatic soluble epoxide hydrolase activity regulates cerebral Aβ metabolism and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease in mice,Neuron,2023 Jun 26
- Wang Z, Zeng YN,Axonal iron transport in the brain modulates anxiety-related behaviors,Nat Chem Biol.,2019 Dec
- Cao X,Astrocyte-derived ATP modulates depressive-like behaviors,Nat Med.,2013 Jun