Introduction

Dr. Deng received her B.S. degree in biological sciences from East China Normal University and later received her Ph.D. degree in neurobiology at the Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She then joined Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow, where she uncovered a novel cortical-brainstem circuit in the selective control of motivated behaviors. In 2022, she joined Fudan University as a Principal Investigator. By employing cutting-edge experimental approaches, her team aims to functionally elucidate the neural bases underlying motivational control, and how malfunctions of these neural circuits may contribute to motivational disorders. She hopes that her research will not only promote our understanding of the underpinnings of motivation, but also provide novel insights for developing therapeutic treatments for motivational disorders.