Prof. Han-Fei Deng

Principal Investigator

Research Direction
Neural mechanisms of motivated behaviors

Contact Information
Address: Room B4017, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 131 Dongan Road, Shanghai, China, 200032

Email: hanfeideng@fudan.edu.cn

Dr. Hanfei Deng received her Ph.D. degree in neurobiology in 2017 at the Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She then worked as a postdoctoral fellow (2017-2021) in Bo Li's lab at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. She joined the Institutes of Brain Science at Fudan University as a Principal Investigator in January 2022. Her major research interest is to understand the neural circuits underlying motivated behaviors. Her work has been published in journals including Cell and J Neurosci.

Enrollment Major
Neurobiology

Research Work
Motivation is the driving force for our action, willingness, and goals. Dysfunctions of these processes have been involved in many neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression and drug addiction. By employing cutting-edge experimental techniques, our lab aims to understand two important questions: 1) what are the neural bases underlying motivated behaviors; 2) how are the dysfunctions of these circuits linked with mood and motivational disorders.

Selected Publications

1. Deng HF#*, Xiao X#, Yang T, Ritola K, Hantman A, Li YL, Huang ZJ, Li B*(2021). A genetically defined insula-brainstem circuit selectively controls motivational vigor. Cell. 184(26): 6344-6360.e18 (*corresponding author,#co-first author)
2. Xiao X, Deng HF, Furlan A, Yang T, Zhang X, Hwang GR, Tucciarone J, Wu P, He M, Palaniswamy R, Ramakrishnan C, Ritola K, Hantman A, Deisseroth K, Osten P, Huang ZJ, Li B*(2020). A genetically defined compartmentalized striatal direct pathway for negative reinforcement. Cell. 183(1): 211-227.e20
3. Wu DC, Deng HF, Xiao X, Zuo YF, Sun JJ, Wang ZR*(2017). Persistent neuronal activity in anterior cingulate cortex correlates with sustained attention in rats regardless of sensory modality. Sci Rep. 7: 43101
4. Deng HF#, Xiao X#, Wang ZR*(2016). Periaqueductal gray neuronal activities underlie different aspects of defensive behaviors. J Neurosci. 36(29): 7580-7588. Featured article
5. Xiao X, Deng HF, Wei L, Huang YW, Wang ZR*(2016). Neural activity of orbitofrontal cortex contributes to control of waiting. Eur J Neurosci.44(6): 2300-2313