Autism Center Researchers

Center Director

Guoping Feng leads a broad effort to create new models of autism using CRISPR gene-editing tools.

Center Faculty

John Gabrieli uses brain imaging to study reward circuitry and language networks in the brains of individuals with ASD.

Ann Graybiel is researching the core symptom-complexes associated with autism spectrum disorders.

Feng Zhang is pioneering gene therapy approaches to ASD using CRISPR editing systems.

Group Leaders

Martin Wienisch

Research Scientist, Feng Lab | Group Leader, Genome Editing Technology

Martin Wienisch is developing and improving genome-editing methods for efficiently generating NHP models for neuroscience and brain disorders research.

Participating labs:  Zhang and Feng

Qiangge Zhang

Research Scientist, Feng Lab | Group Leader, Transgenesis

Qiangge Zhang is developing and improving assisted reproduction technology for efficiently generating NHP models for neuroscience and brain disorders research.

Participating labs: Feng and Desimone

J. Douglas Tan Postdoctoral Fellows

Yixi Liu

Postdoctoral Fellow, Feng Lab

Yixi Liu will use an advanced nanoscale imaging technique, network-fixation expansion microscopy (nfExM), to investigate nanoscale structural changes in synapses and mitochondria in autism models, aiming to identify potential biomarkers and deepen our understanding of autism spectrum disorders.

Di Sang

Postdoctoral Fellow, Feng Lab

Di Sang is developing new pharmacological and genetical therapeutic approaches for autistic spectrum disorder with animal models.

Zeguan Wang

Postdoctoral Fellow, Boyden Lab 

Zeguan Wang’s research focuses on developing new optical and molecular techniques to record and precisely control neural activity in the brain, with the ultimate goal to uncover fundamental principles that could inspire novel therapeutic strategies for treating brain disorders.

Chaoyi Zhang

Postdoctoral Fellow, Feng Lab

Chaoyi Zhang is advancing the application of brain imaging techniques in behaving marmoset and mouse models of ASD, enabling cross-species comparisons of neural dynamics underlying social and cognitive behaviors, as well as responses to medical interventions.