Shen Zhiming, Principal Investigator, Doctoral Supervisor, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dr. Shen has long focused on research into the “mesoscopic structural basis of advanced intelligence in primates.” In recent years, as corresponding author, he has published multiple academic papers in journals such as Cell (2023, 2025a, 2025b) and Science (2024). The 2023 Cell paper was selected as one of the Top 10 Advances in Chinese Neuroscience in 2023; the 2025a Cell paper was featured as the cover story and was highlighted by major media outlets, including China Central Television’s Xinwen Lianbo.
His key research achievements include:
- Revealing the mesoscopic structural basis of consciousness in primates. He discovered that the macaque claustrum is directly connected to nearly all brain regions except the cerebellum and exhibits extensive internal connectivity (Cell 2025a, last corresponding author), demonstrating that its single neurons possess the connectivity necessary for integrating multimodal information across the entire brain—a feature proposed by Nobel laureate Crick as the basis for consciousness.
- Identifying a unique prefrontal cortex network architecture in primates. Compared with rodents, individual prefrontal cortex neurons in macaques display significantly more refined projection patterns (Cell 2025b, co-corresponding author). This finding provides key biological constraints for brain-inspired intelligence research.
- Elucidating the evolutionary principles of primate brain cells. He investigated the cellular organization of the macaque cortex (Cell 2023, co-corresponding author) and the mouse whole brain (Neuron 2025, co-corresponding author), uncovering a distinctive distribution pattern of the language-related gene FOXP2 in the macaque brain. He also characterized the unique molecular features and cell types of the primate cerebellum (Science 2024, co-corresponding author) and hippocampus (NSR 2026, co-corresponding author).
Dr. Shen serves as principal investigator for a National Key Research and Development Program project, leads General Program projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and directs an instrument development project at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is a member of the inaugural cohort of CAS Distinguished Research Fellows, a recipient of the Shanghai Oriental Elite (Top-Tier) and Shanghai Pujiang Talent awards, and a member of the CAS Youth Innovation Promotion Association. He has independently developed a macaque microendoscopic surgery device, large-scale sample processing technology, and Cellplot analysis software, which have been adopted by multiple research institutions and companies both domestically and internationally, generating over 4.7 million RMB in economic benefits.
Research Areas
Current Research Directions:
01 Brain-Inspired AI Algorithms
Current AI algorithms draw only limited inspiration from the workings of biological brains. The whole-brain mesoscopic neural connectivity map provides an important foundation for understanding information transmission between brain regions. We will integrate whole-brain single-neuron connectivity maps from multiple model animal species to investigate the operational mechanisms underlying specific functions and design brain-inspired AI network architectures for functions such as motor control.
02 Neural Circuit Mechanisms of Consciousness
Nobel laureate Crick proposed that the claustrum may be a key structure for consciousness. The claustrum is directly connected to almost all cortical regions, serving as a central hub within the brain. By applying fMOST technology to map the projection patterns of individual claustrum neurons, we aim to determine whether single claustrum neurons can project to most cortical regions and broadly cover the claustrum itself. This approach is expected to provide direct evidence for the connectivity basis of rapid multimodal information integration in the claustrum and to further advance research into the structural underpinnings of consciousness.
03 Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Human Language
The classification and spatial distribution of cell types in the mouse whole brain have been well characterized, but mapping the spatial distribution of human brain cells is still in its early stages. Leveraging our internationally leading advantages in large-scale spatial gene chips, we aim to take a leading position in the global race to map the human brain cell atlas by first resolving the cellular spatial distribution of human language areas. By integrating data from macaque language-homologous regions, we will investigate the neural circuits and evolutionary mechanisms underlying human language, providing a critical foundation for the development of next-generation brain-inspired intelligence.
04 Neural Circuit Architecture of Motor Control
The primary motor cortex is a key target for clinical applications such as brain–computer interfaces and neuromodulation. In brain–computer interface research, neural electrical activity in the primary motor cortex is read and decoded to infer a subject’s intent, which is then used to control a robotic arm to perform specific tasks. Investigating the neural connectivity and function of the primary motor cortex will significantly advance brain–computer interface research (e.g., information decoding and target selection) and the treatment of motor dysfunction in patients, offering substantial societal impact.
Education
Ph.D. (2007): Shanghai Institute of Biological Sciences, CAS
B.S. (2001): Department of Life Sciences and Technology, Nanjing University
Postdoctoral Fellow (2008–2012): University of South Carolina, USA
Research Associate (2012–2013): Stanford University, USA
Publications
Papers
（2） Single-cell spatial transcriptomic atlas of the whole mouse brain, Neuron, 2025, corresponding author
（3） Cross-species single-cell spatial transcriptomic atlases of the cerebellar cortex., Science, 2024, corresponding author
（4） Single-cell spatial transcriptome reveals cell-type organization in the macaque cortex., Cell, 2023, corresponding author
（5） Transduction catalysis: Doxorubicin amplifies rAAV-mediated gene expression in the cortex of higher-order vertebrates., iScience, 2021,
（6） Distinct neuron populations for simple and compound calls in the primary auditory cortex of awake marmosets, Natl Sci Rev, 2021,
（7） Local homogeneity of tonotopic organization in the primary auditory cortex of marmosets, PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 2019, corresponding author
（8） Emergence of stable striatal D1R and D2R neuronal ensembles with distinct firing sequence during motor learning, PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 2019,
（9） Emergence of stable striatal D1R and D2R neuronal ensembles with distinct firing sequence during motor learning., PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 2019,
（10） Neural correlates of single vessel hemodynamic responses in vivo, NATURE, 2016,
（11） Targeted labeling of neurons in a specific functional micro-domain of the neocortex by combining intrinsic signal and two-photon imaging., Jove-journal Of Visualized Experiments, 2012,
（12） An artery-specific fluorescent dye for studying neurovascular coupling, NATURE METHODS, 2012,
（13） Spatial phase sensitivity of V1 neurons in alert monkey, CEREBRAL CORTEX, 2005,
（14） Cue-invariant detection of centre surround discontinuity by V1 neurons in awake macaque monkey, THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY,
Students
已指导学生
王可新 硕士研究生 085238-生物工程
刘剑锋 硕士研究生 085238-生物工程
方娇 硕士研究生 086000-生物与医药
现指导学生
柴钦文 硕士研究生 086000-生物与医药
李雪晴 硕士研究生 086000-生物与医药
张毅韬 硕士研究生 086000-生物与医药
刘思怡 硕士研究生 071006-神经生物学