Our Team
Meet the researchers and students behind BRAIN Lab @ UTA
Lab Team Members
Xi Zhu, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
I'm a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Texas at Arlington starting in January 2025. Previously, I was an Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurobiology in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and a research scientist at New York State Psychiatric Institute. My background as an Electrical and Computer Engineer engaged in clinical research has equipped me with an interdisciplinary expertise in AI, data-driven computational approaches, multimodal neuroimaging, and neurobiology, which I am dedicated to applying in the mental health research. My research focuses on identifying brain biomarkers of psychiatric disorders using a variety of neuroimaging tools, developing machine learning and deep learning frameworks for constructing predictive models, and investigating psychiatric comorbidity and their neural underpinnings to elucidate the etiology, course, and treatment outcomes of these conditions, ultimately contributing to personalized medicine.
Luyu Huang
Research Scientist
Luyu's research focuses on developing deep learning models to identify clinically meaningful subtypes and treatment predictors in psychiatric populations.
Kangyi Peng
Research Coordinator
Kangyi holds a Master's degree in Psychology from NYU and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Washington. Her research focuses on clinical psychology, neuroimaging, and adolescent development.
Chen Zhang
Research Assistant
Chen Zhang is a research assistant at the Brain Lab. She earned her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience and Psychology from the University of Toronto, and completed her Master's degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness at New York University. Her research interests center on understanding the biological basis of mental health disorders, with a particular focus on identifying neuroimaging biomarkers for treatment response.
Fatima Rizwan
Research Assistant
Fatima Rizwan is a recent graduate with a master's in Clinical Psychology, with a concentration in Trauma and Neuroscience from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research is strongly focused on identifying, dissecting, and mapping brain changes in relation to behavioral outcomes in anxiety- and mood-related disorders.
Join Our Team
We are always looking for motivated individuals who are passionate about computational approaches to understanding the brain and mental health.
Contact Us About Opportunities