1997 - 2001  B.S. in Biology, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China

2001 - 2007  Ph.D. in Biophysics, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China

2007 - 2012  Post-doctoral fellow in vision science, Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota

2012 -           Investigator, State key lab of brain and cognitive sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Human visual perception, attention and consciousness; visual plasticity; subcortical visual processing; high-resolution neuroimaging techniques (7T fMRI and EEG/MEG)

Research summary

Combining behavioral and high-resolution brain imaging methods, my lab investigates the neural mechanisms of consciousness visual perception and attention. We ask several fundamental questions. How does our brain resolve ambiguous retinal input to generate conscious perception? What is the relationship between attention and consciousness? How visual experiences shape the function and wire the circuits of our brain? To better answer these questions, we develop high-resolution fMRI approaches at ultrahigh magnetic field to non-invasively study human brain activity at the microscopic scale of cortical columns and layers and subdivisions of small subcortical nuclei.

1. Qian, C., Zhang, Z., Chen, Z., de Hollander, G., Knapen, T., He, S., & Zhang, P.* (2025). Mesoscale cortical mechanisms of perceptual conflict resolution in binocular rivalry. Nature Human Behaviour.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02320-4

2. Liu, C.^#, Liu, C.^#, Huber, L., Zhaoping, L., & Zhang, P.* (2025). The superficial layers of the primary visual cortex create a saliency map that feeds forward to the parietal cortex. PLOS Biology, 23(10), e3003159.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003159

3. Qian, Y.^#, Sun, Z.^#, Wang, Y.^#, Gao, Y., Qian, C., Zhou, J.*, & Zhang, P.* (2025). Two opposing yet complementary ocular dominance plasticities: Thalamus strengthens the weak channel while higher cortex listens to the strong signal. Communications Biology, 8(1), 1552.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08914-y

4. Lin, W.^#, Qian, C.^#, Zhang, Y.-Y., Liu, S., Zhang, X., Fang, F., & Zhang, P.* (2025). Spatially global effects of feature-based attention in functional subdivisions of human subcortical nuclei. Communications Biology, 8(1), 1474.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08871-6

5. Chen, N.*, Ai, H., Chen, J., & Zhang, P. (2025). Hierarchical and parallel processing: From primate visual cortex to artificial intelligence. Science China Technological Sciences, 68(8), 1870401.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-025-2971-2

6. Ai, H.^#, Lin, W.^#, Liu, C., Chen, N.*, & Zhang, P.* (2025). Mesoscale functional organization and connectivity of color, disparity, and naturalistic texture in human second visual area. eLife, 13, RP93171.

https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.93171

7. Zhou, Y., Guo, S., Ling, L., Gao, Y., Duan, X., Liu, Y., Liu, R., Liu, H., Wang, H., Lin, J., Zhao, C., Zhang, P.*, & Wen, W.* (2025). Efficacy and safety of augmented-reality pathway-specific binocular training in patients with unilateral amblyopia (ARPSBT): Study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Trials, 26(1), 232.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-025-08927-2

8. Gao, Y.^#, Zhou, Y.^#, He, Q., Wen, W.*, & Zhang, P.* (2025). Improving Adult Vision Through Pathway-Specific Training in Augmented Reality. Advanced Science, 12(21), 2415877.

https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202415877

9. Wang, Y.^#, Qian, C.^#, Gao, Y.^#, Zhou, Y., Zhang, X., Wen, W.*, & Zhang, P.* (2025). Attenuated and delayed neural activity in cortical microcircuitry of monocular processing and binocular interactions in human amblyopia. Imaging Neuroscience, 3, imag_a_00561.

https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00561

10. Knudsen, L.^#, Guo, F.^#, Sharoh, D., Huang, J., Blicher, J. U., Lund, T. E., Zhou, Y., Zhang, P.*, & Yang, Y.* (2025). The laminar pattern of proprioceptive activation in human primary motor cortex. Cerebral Cortex, 35(4), bhaf076.

https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhaf076

11. Guo, F.^#, Zou, J.^#, Wang, Y.^#, Fang, B., Zhou, H., Wang, D.*, He, S.*, & Zhang, P.* (2024). Human subcortical pathways automatically detect collision trajectory without attention and awareness. PLOS Biology, 22(1), e3002375.

12. Chen, Y.^#, Gao, Y.^#, He, Z.^#, Sun, Z., Mao, Y., Hess, R. F.*, Zhang, P.*, & Zhou, J.* (2023). Internal neural states influence the short-term effect of monocular deprivation in human adults. eLife, 12, e83815.

https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83815

13. Wang, H., Wang, X., Wang, Y., Zhang, D., Yang, Y., Zhou, Y., Qiu, B., & Zhang, P.* (2023). White matter BOLD signals at 7 Tesla reveal visual field maps in optic radiation and vertical occipital fasciculus. NeuroImage, 269, 119916.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119916

14. Wen, W.^#, Wang, Y.^#, Zhou, J., He, S., Sun, X., Liu, H., Zhao, C., & Zhang, P.* (2021). Loss and enhancement of layer-selective signals in geniculostriate and corticotectal pathways of adult human amblyopia. Cell Reports, 37(11), 110117.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110117

15. Liu, C.^#, Guo, F.^#, Qian, C., Zhang, Z., Sun, K., Wang, D. J., He, S., & Zhang, P.* (2021). Layer-dependent multiplicative effects of spatial attention on contrast responses in human early visual cortex. Progress in Neurobiology, 207, 101897.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101897

16. Cao, R.^#, Qian, C.^#, Ren, S., He, Z., He, S.*, & Zhang, P.* (2021). Visual adaptation and 7T fMRI reveal facial identity processing in the human brain under shallow interocular suppression. NeuroImage, 244(May), 118622.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118622

17. de Hollander, G.*, van der Zwaag, W., Qian, C., Zhang, P.*, & Knapen, T.* (2021). Ultra-high field fMRI reveals origins of feedforward and feedback activity within laminae of human ocular dominance columns. NeuroImage, 228 (December 2020), 117683.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117683

18. Qian, Y., Zou, J., Zhang, Z., An, J., Zuo, Z., Zhuo, Y., Wang, D. J. J., & Zhang, P.* (2020). Robust functional mapping of layer-selective responses in human lateral geniculate nucleus with high-resolution 7T fMRI. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 287(1925).

https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.0245

19. Zou, J., He, S.*, & Zhang, P.* (2016). Binocular rivalry from invisible patterns. PNAS, 113(30).

https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1604816113

20. Zhang, P.^#, Wen, W.^#, Sun, X., & He, S. (2016). Selective reduction of fMRI responses to transient achromatic stimuli in the magnocellular layers of the LGN and the superficial layer of the SC of early glaucoma patients. Hum Brain Mapp, 37(2).

https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.23049

21. Zhang, P.*, Zhou, H., Wen, W., & He, S.* (2015). Layer-specific response properties of the human lateral geniculate nucleus and superior colliculus. NeuroImage, 111, 159-166.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.02.025

22. Zhang, P.*, Jiang, Y., & He, S.* (2012). Voluntary attention modulates processing of eye-specific visual information. Psychological Science, 23(3), 254-260.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611424289

23. Zhang, P.*, Jamison, K., Engel, S., He, B., & He, S. (2011). Binocular rivalry requires visual attention. Neuron, 71(2), 362-369.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2011.05.035

24. Zhang, P., Bao, M., Kwon, M., He, S., & Engel, S. A. (2009). Effects of Orientation-Specific Visual Deprivation Induced with Altered Reality. Current Biology, 19(22), 1956-1960.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2009.10.018

25. Zhang, P., Chen, X., Yuan, P., Zhang, D., & He, S. (2006). The effect of visuospatial attentional load on the processing of irrelevant acoustic distractors. NeuroImage, 33(2), 715-724.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.07.015

（From Peng Zhang, November 14, 2025）