Junda Zhu, Ph.D.

Professional Summary

Innovative neuroscientist and biomedical engineer with expertise in neuroscience research, neuroimaging analytics, machine learning, and clinical applications. Proven ability to translate complex scientific findings into actionable insights for real-world healthcare solutions. Extensive experience in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments, driving projects from research to clinical translation. Demonstrates strong analytical thinking and excels at communicating scientific ideas through compelling narratives tailored to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Education

Ph.D. in Neuroscience
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN — 2024

B.S. in Bioinformatics
Southern University of Science and Technology (南方科技大学), Shenzhen (深圳), China — 2018

Experience

• Postdoctoral Scientist, Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 2024–Present
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 2024
• Ph.D. Candidate, Vanderbilt University, 2021–2024
• Ph.D. Candidate, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 2018–2021
• Research Assistant, Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, 2015–2018

Skills & Certifications

• CITI Program — Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
  Issued: Jun 2024 · Expires: Jun 2027 · Credential ID: 63483618
  Role relevance: qualifies oversight of compliant multi-site human studies; field-team training & SOPs.
• CITI Program — Biomedical Investigators & Key Personnel (HSR)
  Issued: Jun 2024 · Expires: Jun 2034 · Credential ID: 63483617
  Role relevance: consent, risk mitigation, documentation for real-world/home-use deployments.
• CITI Program — Conflicts of Interest
  Issued: Jun 2024 · Expires: Jun 2028 · Credential ID: 63483620
  Role relevance: governance & transparency for senior, external-facing clinical leadership.

Additional Certifications

• Data Science Essentials — Canvas Credentials (Badgr)
  Issued: Feb 2023 · Credential ID: 63f63542bbc08413a1b91cb3
• Data Science Case Sessions — Canvas Credentials (Badgr)
  Issued: Mar 2023 · Credential ID: 640a324c13a2c944c060eb1e
• Communication & Networking for Data Science — Canvas Credentials (Badgr)
  Issued: Feb 2023 · Credential ID: 63f63541bbc08413a1b91c5e

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Zhu, J., Garin, C.M., Qi, X.-L., Machado, A., Constantinidis, C., et al. (2025). Brain structure and activity predicting cognitive maturation in adolescence. Nat Neurosci.
• Zhu, J., Constantinidis, C. (2024). Neural Circuits and Processes of Working Memory. Encyclopedia of the Human Brain, 2nd ed.
• Zhu, J., Zhou, X.M., et al. (2024). Parallel signatures of cognitive maturation in primate antisaccade performance and prefrontal activity. iScience.
• Machado, A., Zhu, J., et al. (2024). White Matter Microstructure and Working Memory of Macaques in Adolescence. Journal of Vision.
• Zhu, J., Hammond, B.M., Zhou, X.M., Constantinidis, C. (2023). Laminar pattern of adolescent development changes in working memory neuronal activity. J Neurophysiol 130(4):980–989.

Professional Memberships and Activities

• Editor, The Innovation Life, 2024–Present
• Member, Society for Neuroscience, 2021–Present
• Reviewer, Journal of Neurophysiology, 2020–Present
• Reviewer, Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, 2024–Present
• Editorial Board Member, American Journal of Biomedical and Life Sciences, 2024–Present

Selected University and Community Service

• Graduate Advisor, Vanderbilt University International Student Council, 2023–2024
• Member, Graduate Honor Council, Vanderbilt University, 2023–2024

Teaching Assistantships

• Vanderbilt: NSC 5892 System/Integrative Neuroscience (2023)

Presentations and Posters

• Maturational trajectories of Cognitive and prefrontal activity in Adolescence, Johns Hopkins University, Jan 2024
• Working memory development in adolescent macaques, Working Memory Symposium 2023, May 2023
• Neuronal Activity Changes in The Macaque Prefrontal Cortex During Adolescence, Society for Neuroscience 2022, Nov 2022
• Structural Brain Changes of The Macaque Brain During Adolescence, Society for Neuroscience 2022, Nov 2022
• Precision of Visuospatial Working Memory Reports in Adolescent Monkeys, Society for Neuroscience 2022, Nov 2022
• NMDA Dependence of Serial Biases in Working Memory, CRCNS PI 2022 Meeting, Oct 2022
• Prefrontal Neural Changes in Early Adolescence Related to Working Memory, Society for Neuroscience 2021, Nov 2021
• Working Memory and Prefrontal Neural Activity of Macaques in Early Adolescence, Vision Sciences Society 2021, May 2021
• Prefrontal Neural Activity Underlying Maturation of Antisaccade Task Performance, Neuromatch Conference 3.0, Oct 2020

Additional Training

• Data Science Essential, Nashville Software School, Jan 2023
• Summer School in Deep Learning, Neuromatch Academy, Aug 2021
• Summer School in Computational Neuroscience, Neuromatch Academy, Aug 2020