Nanyin Zhang

Director of the Center for Neurotechnology in Mental Health Research; Huck Chair in Brain Imaging; Professor of Bioengineering

Nanyin Zhang

Research Summary

Investigating the pathophysiology of brain disorders using neuroimaging, behavioral and optogenetic methods.

Huck Graduate Students

Huck Affiliations

Links

Most Recent Publications

Genetic influences of resting-state neural networks: a twin study

Y Fu, Z Ma, C Hamilton, Z Liang, X Hou, X Ma, X Hu, H Meng, Q He, W Deng, Y Wang, L Zhao, T Li, Nanyin Zhang, Human Brain Mapping on p. 3959–3972

An open database of resting-state fMRI in awake rats

Yikang Liu, Pablo Perez, Zilu Ma, Zhiwei Ma, David Dopfel, Samuel Cramer, Wenyu Tu, Nanyin Zhang, NeuroImage on p. 1170942

A splitting mind: imbalanced internal and external worlds in schizophrenia

M Li, W Deng, Z He, Q Wang, C Huang, L Jiang, Q Gong, D Ziedonis, J King, X Ma, Nanyin Zhang, Tao Li, on p. 145-153

Relationship of mindful awareness to neural processing of anger stimuli and impact of mindfulness training

A Lee, D Gansler, Nanyin Zhang, M Jerram, J King, C Fulwiler, Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging on p. 22-28

Sex-specific signatures of GLP-1 and amylin on resting state brain activity and functional connectivity in awake rats

Tanzil M. Arefin, Stina Börchers, Doris Olekanma, Samuel R. Cramer, Morgan R. Sotzen, Nanyin Zhang, Karolina P. Skibicka, 2025, Neuropharmacology

Neuroimaging Model of Visceral Manipulation in an Awake Rat

Samuel R. Cramer, Xu Han, Dennis C.Y. Chan, Thomas Neuberger, Nanyin Zhang, 2025, Journal of Neuroscience

Biodegradable Citrate-Based Polymers Enable 5D Monitoring of Implant Evolution

Dingying Shan, Dingbowen Wang, Yuncong Ma, Zhifeng Liang, Dino J. Ravnic, Nanying Zhang, Jian Yang, 2025, Advanced Functional Materials

Sequential Deactivation Across the Hippocampus-Thalamus-mPFC Pathway During Loss of Consciousness

Xiaoai Chen, Samuel R. Cramer, Dennis C.Y. Chan, Xu Han, Nanyin Zhang, 2024, Advanced Science

Disparity in temporal and spatial relationships between resting-state electrophysiological and fMRI signals

Wenyu Tu, Samuel R. Cramer, Nanyin Zhang, 2024, eLife

Exploring memory-related network via dorsal hippocampus suppression

Xu Han, Samuel Cramer, Dennis Chan, Nanyin Zhang, 2024, Network Neuroscience on p. 1310-1330

Most-Cited Papers

Time to wake up: Studying neurovascular coupling and brain-wide circuit function in the un-anesthetized animal

Yu Rong Gao, Yuncong Ma, Qingguang Zhang, Aaron T. Winder, Zhifeng Liang, Lilith Antinori, Patrick J. Drew, Nanyin Zhang, 2017, NeuroImage on p. 382-398

Rodent models of post-traumatic stress disorder: behavioral assessment

Alexander Verbitsky, David Dopfel, Nanyin Zhang, 2020, Translational Psychiatry

Co-activation patterns in resting-state fMRI signals

Xiao Liu, Nanyin Zhang, Catie Chang, Jeff H. Duyn, 2018, NeuroImage on p. 485-494

Dynamic resting state functional connectivity in awake and anesthetized rodents

Zhifeng Liang, Xiao Liu, Nanyin Zhang, 2015, NeuroImage on p. 89-99

Mapping the functional network of medial prefrontal cortex by combining optogenetics and fMRI in awake rats

Zhifeng Liang, Glenn D.R. Watson, Kevin D. Alloway, Gangchea Lee, Thomas Neuberger, Nanyin Zhang, 2015, NeuroImage on p. 114-123

Dynamic Connectivity Patterns in Conscious and Unconscious Brain

Yuncong Ma, Christina Hamilton, Nanyin Zhang, 2017, Brain Connectivity on p. 1-12

A role for the claustrum in salience processing?

Jared B. Smith, Glenn D.R. Watson, Zhifeng Liang, Yikang Liu, Nanyin Zhang, Kevin D. Alloway, 2019, Frontiers in Neuroanatomy

Genetic influences on resting-state functional networks: A twin study

Yixiao Fu, Zhiwei Ma, Christina Hamilton, Zhifeng Liang, Xiao Hou, Xingshun Ma, Xiaomei Hu, Qian He, Wei Deng, Yingcheng Wang, Liansheng Zhao, Huaqing Meng, Tao Li, Nanyin Zhang, 2015, Human Brain Mapping on p. 3959-3972

Simultaneous GCaMP6-based fiber photometry and fMRI in rats

Zhifeng Liang, Yuncong Ma, Glenn D.R. Watson, Nanyin Zhang, 2017, Journal of Neuroscience Methods on p. 31-38

Interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity of the claustrum in the awake and anesthetized states

Jared B. Smith, Zhifeng Liang, Glenn D.R. Watson, Kevin D. Alloway, Nanyin Zhang, 2017, Brain Structure and Function on p. 2041-2058

News Articles Featuring Nanyin Zhang

Dec 10, 2024

Brain mechanisms underpinning loss of consciousness identified

Rapid activity in three brain regions appears to trigger loss of consciousness, researchers at Penn State find.

Full Article

Nov 08, 2024

Uncharted territory: A Q&A with Nanyin Zhang on mapping brain activity

To understand how different regions of the brain work together, researchers use a method called resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI). The method measures brain activity by observing changes in blood flow to different parts of the brain; however, rsfMRI does not explain how these blood flow changes to different brain regions relate to what is happening with the brain’s neurons — cells that send and receive messages in the form of electronic signals.

Full Article

Jan 30, 2024

$4M grant funds project to make robotic prostheses more like biological limbs

Prosthetic hands that incorporate robotics can perform dexterous self-care tasks, but they are often hard to operate, requiring a user’s constant attention with a limited number of hand functions. With a five-year, $4 million U.S. National Science Foundation grant, Penn State researchers aim to make robotic protheses more useful for people living with amputations.

Full Article

Nov 10, 2022

Breathing may measurably modulate neural responses across brain, study finds

Mental health practitioners and meditation gurus have long credited intentional breathing with the ability to induce inner calm, but scientists do not fully understand how the brain is involved in the process.

Full Article

Nov 09, 2021

Penn State launches Center for Neurotechnology in Mental Health Research

Penn State is launching a University-wide center to bridge fundamental research to understand the brain and mind with potential clinical applications for diagnosing and treating mental health disorders.

Full Article

Jul 24, 2020

Researchers to examine relation of dysfunctional brain hubs to mental disorders

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Penn State researchers a $1.85 million grant to develop a new way to test if dysfunctions in certain areas of the brain lead to mental health complications and brain disorders. If successful, the research could lead to better mental health treatments.

Full Article