1997 - 2002 University of Science and Technology of China, B.S. in Biological Sciences, B.E. in Computer Science and Technology

2004 - 2007 Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ph.D. in Zoology

2007 - 2012 National Institute of Mental Health, Postdoctoral Fellow

2012 - 2016 National Institute of Mental Health, Research Fellow

2016.08 - Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Principal Investigator

Social cognition is essential for both individual and group survival, especially in socialanimals like humans and non-human primates. In a variety of psychiatric disorders, disruptedsocial cognition represents a common sensitive domain of their pathology. Although socialcognition has been studied for a long time, its brain underpinning remains elusive. Our long-termresearch goal is to understand the neural mechanisms underlying social cognitions, and develop new diagnostictools and treatment strategies for psychiatric diseases. Given the similarities in social cognition and its underlying neural circuitry between humans andnon-human primates, weuse non-human primates (e.g., rhesus macaque) as the model.Sophisticated non-invasive and invasive experimental approaches, including neuroimaging (e.g.,fMRI), interventional physiology (e.g., permanent/reversible lesion of brain circuits,microstimulation) and computational modeling, will be applied jointly toinvestigate these issues at various scales and levels.

（* Corresponding Author, ^# First Author）

1. Ruan J^#, Ma C, Qiao Y, Dong X, Qiu M, Klar P, Wang J, Fan L, Northoff G, Liu N*. Evolutionary reorganization of the self-processing network across primates. (2026, Sep) J Neurosci. e0439262026. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0439-26.2026

2. Huang H-D^#, Ji Y-C, Zhang L, Xu M, Qiao Y, Li C-Y, Xie H-H, Li Y, Zhang B-L, Qiu M-H, Zhang Y-L, Yu X-M, Zhang Y-B, Wang Y, Wang Q, Li YJ, Lv L-B, Huang X-X, Mao B-Y, Wu D-D, Zheng P, Liu N*, Wang J-H*, Yao Y-G*. Longitudinal characterization of giant ANK2-depleted monkeys suggests neurodevelopmental disorder-like phenotypes. (2026, Sep) Research. 9:1424. https://doi.org/10.34133/research.1424

3. Xiang S^#, Zou X, Luo C, Liu N*. Temporal dynamics of frontoparietal processing during personal space intrusion. (2026, Aug) iScience. 29(8):116829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116829

4. Ge Q^#, Xin Y^#, He C, Han S, Geng X, Chen X, Yu S, He J*, Liu N*, Xu L*. Brain criticality characterizes abnormal neural dynamics and metabolism in disorder of consciousness. (2026, Jul) Commun Biol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10713-y

5. Liu L^#, Zheng Z^#, You W^#, Yang P^#, Wen Y^#, Qiao Y^#, Ma S^#, Zhang H^#, Zhang S^#, Xu G^#, Ma C^#, Tian A, Jiang M, Zhang T, Geng L, Li J, Sun X, Wang F, Xiong M, Yang Y, Lu X, Jiang X, Dong X, Zhang Z, Huang Y, Zhang B, Qiao Q, Sun S, Fan Y, Cai Y, Yan K, Zhang Y, Jing Y, Jing Y, Wang Q, Lei J, Tan A, Han Z, Reddy P, Haghani A, Rodriguez Esteban C, Zhang F, Liu Z, Liu N, Wang S, Horvath S, Yang J, Izpisua Belmonte JC, Zhang W*, Qu J*, Liu GH*. (2026 Apr 7). Vitamin C inhibits ACSL4 to alleviate ferro-aging in primates. Cell Metab, 38(4):673-693.e17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2026.02.010

6. Zhang B, Chen Y, Zhang Y, Qiao Y, Wu Y, Zhang Y, Lu Y, You X, Li Y, Huang H, Wang Q, Li Y, Wang Y, Xiao W, Duan H, Qiu M, Chen N, Yu X, Yang M, Lv L, Cooper DN, Zheng P, Yao Y*, Liu N*, Wang J*, Wu D* (2025, Sep 30). Forward and reverse genomic screens enhance the understanding of phenotypic variation in a large Chinese rhesus macaque cohort. Nat Commun, 16(1), 8703. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63747-x

7. Zhang Z, Dong X, Zou X, Liu N*. Hierarchical relationship between neural mechanisms of ensemble and individual perception revealed through perceptual learning. (2025, Oct) J Exp Psychol Gen. 154(10):2914-2925. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001832

8. Zhang Y, Qiao Y, Ji Y, Huang H, Zhang L, Ruan J, Li C, Xie H, Zhang B, Zhou Q, Yue S, Yu X, Qiu M, Yu C, Wu S, Zhou Y, Li Y, Zhu H, Dong S, Huang K, Wang Y, Wang Q, Li Y, Xie Y, Chen H, Lv L, Liu S, Yao Y, Wang C*, Liu N*, Wang J*. (2025, Jul 31). A Study of Spontaneous Self-Injurious Behavior and Neuroimaging in Rhesus Macaques. Research (Wash D C), 8, 0782. https://doi.org/10.34133/research.0782

9. Xin Y, Cui Y, Yu S, Liu N*. Genetic contributions to brain criticality and its relationship with human cognitive functions. (2025, Jun 23) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 122 (26) e2417010122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2417010122

10. Lei J^#, Xin Z^#, Liu N^#, Ning T^#, Jing Y^#, Qiao Y^#, He Z, Jiang M, Yang Y, Zhang Z, Zhao L, Li J, Lv D, Yan Y, Zhang H, Xiao L, Zhang B, Huang H, Sun S, Zheng F, Jiang X, Lu H, Dong X, Yue S, Ma C, Shuai J, Ji Z, Liu F, Ye Y, Yan K, Hu Q, Xu G, Zhao Q, Wu R, Cai Y, Fan Y, Jing Y, Wang Q, Reddy P, Lu X, Zheng Z, Liu B, Haghani A, Ma S, Suzuki K, Esteban CR13,23, Yang J, Song M, Horvath S, Zhang W, Li W, Xiang AP, Zhu L, Fu X, Zhao G, Belmonte JCI, Qu J*, Wang S*, Liu G*. Senescence-resistant human mesenchymal progenitor cells counter aging in primates. (2025, Jun 13) Cell. S0092-8674(25)00571-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.05.021

11. Cheng Y^#, Xin Y^#, Lu X, Yang T, Ma X, Yuan X*, Liu N*, Jiang Y*. (2025, May) Shared and unique neural codes for biological motion perception in humans and macaque monkeys. Advanced Science, 12(18). https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202411562

12. Ruan J, Yuan Y, Qiao Y, Qiu M, Dong X, Cui Y, Wang J, Liu N*. (2024, Dec 17) Connectional differences between humans and macaques in the MT+ complex. iScience, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.111617

13. Lu X^#, Hu Z^#, Xin Y^#, Yang T, Wang Y, Zhang P, Liu N*, Jiang Y*. (2024, Nov 7) Detecting Biological Motion Signals in Human and Monkey Superior Colliculus: A Subcortical-Cortical Pathway for Biological Motion Perception. Nat Commun, 15(1), 9606. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53968-x

14. Zhao M, Xin Y, Deng H, Zuo Z, Wang X*, Bi Y*, & Liu N*. (2024, Oct 28). Object color knowledge representation occurs in the macaque brain despite the absence of a developed language system. PLoS Biol, 22(10), e3002863. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002863

15. Zhao M, Li R, Xiang S, & Liu N*. (2024, Oct 3). Two different mirror neuron pathways for social and non-social actions? A meta-analysis of fMRI studies. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsae068

16. Yang Y^#, Lu X^#, Liu N^#, Ma S^#, Zhang H^#, Zhang Z^#, Yang K, Jiang M, Zheng Z, Qiao Y, Hu Q, Huang Y, Zhang Y, Xiong M, Liu L, Jiang X, Reddy P, Dong X, Xu F, Wang Q, Zhao Q, Lei J, Sun S, Jing Y, Li J, Cai Y, Fan Y, Yan K, Jing Y, Haghani A, Xing M, Zhang X, Zhu G, Song W, Horvath S, Rodriguez Esteban C, Song M, Wang S, Zhao G, Li W, Izpisua Belmonte JC, Qu J, Zhang W, & Liu G. (2024, Sep 12). Metformin decelerates aging clock in male monkeys. Cell. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.021

17. Liu N*, Avidan G, Turchi JN, Hadj-Bouziane F, & Behrmann M. (2024, Jun 26). A Possible Neural Basis for Attentional Capture of Faces Revealed by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Causal Pharmacological Inactivation in Macaques. J Cogn Neurosci, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_02211

18. Zhang Z, Dong X, Liu Z, & Liu N*. (2024, Jun 21). Social status predicts physiological and behavioral responses to chronic stress in rhesus monkeys. iScience, 27(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.110073

19. Zhang Q, Zhang Y, Liu N*, & Sun X*. (2024, Apr 9). Understanding of facial features in face perception: insights from deep convolutional neural networks. Front Comput Neurosci, 18. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncom.2024.1209082

20. Wu Y^#, Zhao M^#, Deng H, Wang T, Xin Y, Dai W, Huang J, Zhou T, Sun X, Liu N*, & Xing D*. (2024, Jan 15). The neural origin for asymmetric coding of surface color in the primate visual cortex. Nat Commun, 15(1), 516. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-44809-y

21. Sun F, Yang T, Liu N*, & Wan X*. (2023, Oct 13). The causal role of temporoparietal junction in mediating self-other mergence during mentalizing. J Neurosci. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1026-23.2023

22. Xiang S^#, Zhao M^#, Yu L, & Liu N*. (2023, Aug 11). A common self-advantage across the implicit and explicit levels for self-body recognition. Front Psychol, 14, 1099151. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1099151

23. Zhang H*, Ding X, Liu N, Nolan R, Ungerleider LG, & Japee S. (2023, Jun). Equivalent processing of facial expression and identity by macaque visual system and task-optimized neural network. Neuroimage, 273, 120067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120067

24. Cui S, Yang T, & Liu N*. (2023, Jun 15). Generalization of the modulatory effect of social interaction on personal space. Front Psychol, 14, 1148395. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1148395

25. Shen B, Zhang Z, Wang Q, Tu Z*, Liu N*. (2023, May 25) A new approach to detecting and analyzing monkey activities using the improved YOLOv5. Third International Conference on Machine Learning and Computer Application (ICMLCA 2022).

26. Cheng Z, Liu N*, Fan Y*, Zuo P, Yuan H, Xu Z. (2022) Representations of object animacy and real-world size in the ventral visual pathway. Acta Physiologica Sinica, 74(2): 294-300. https://doi.org/10.13294/j.aps.2022.0028

27. Xin Y^#, Bai T^#, Zhang T, Chen Y, Wang K, Yu S*, Liu N*, & Tian Y*. (2022, Jan-Feb). Electroconvulsive therapy modulates critical brain dynamics in major depressive disorder patients. Brain Stimul, 15(1), 214-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2021.12.008

28. Liu N*, Behrmann M, Turchi JN, Avidan G, Hadj-Bouziane F, & Ungerleider LG. (2022, Nov 9). Bidirectional and parallel relationships in macaque face circuit revealed by fMRI and causal pharmacological inactivation. Nat Commun, 13(1), 6787. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34451-x

29. Li N, & Liu N*. (2021, Jul 14). The Nonlinear and Gender-Related Relationships of Face Attractiveness and Typicality With Perceived Trustworthiness. Front Psychol, 12, 656084. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.656084

30. Meng Q*, Wang B, Cui D, Liu N, Huang Y*, Chen L, & Ma Y. (2019, Jan 2). Age-related changes in local and global visual perception. J Vis, 19(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1167/19.1.10

31. Taubert J*, Flessert M, Liu N, & Ungerleider LG. (2019, Oct 23). Intranasal oxytocin selectively modulates the behavior of rhesus monkeys in an expression matching task. Sci Rep, 9(1), 15187. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51422-3

32. Tomeo OB, Ungerleider LG, & Liu N*. (2017, Jul 11). Preference for Averageness in Faces Does Not Generalize to Non-Human Primates. Front Behav Neurosci, 11, 129. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00129

加入生物物理所之前

33. Zhang H*, Japee S, Nolan R, Chu C, Liu N, & Ungerleider LG. (2016, Apr 15). Face-selective regions differ in their ability to classify facial expressions. Neuroimage, 130, 77-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.01.045

34. Liu N, Hadj-Bouziane F, Moran, R, Ungerleider LG, & Ishai A*. (2016, Jan 11). Facial Expressions Evoke Differential Neural Coupling in Macaques. Cereb Cortex. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhv345

35. Liu N*, Hadj-Bouziane F, Jones, K. B, Turchi JN, Averbeck BB, & Ungerleider LG*. (2015, Jun 16). Oxytocin modulates fMRI responses to facial expression in macaques. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 112(24), E3123-3130. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1508097112

36. Avidan G*, Tanzer M, Hadj-Bouziane F, Liu N, Ungerleider LG, & Behrmann M. (2014, Jun). Selective dissociation between core and extended regions of the face processing network in congenital prosopagnosia. Cereb Cortex, 24(6), 1565-1578. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bht007

37. Liu N*, Kriegeskorte N, Mur M, Hadj-Bouziane F, Luh WM, Tootell RB, & Ungerleider LG. (2013, Jul 10). Intrinsic structure of visual exemplar and category representations in macaque brain. J Neurosci, 33(28), 11346-11360. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4180-12.2013

38. Hadj-Bouziane F, Liu N, Bell, A. H, Gothard, K. M, Luh, W. M, Tootell RB, Murray EA, & Ungerleider LG. (2012, Dec 26). Amygdala lesions disrupt modulation of functional MRI activity evoked by facial expression in the monkey inferior temporal cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 109(52), E3640-3648. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1218406109

39. Furl N^#, Hadj-Bouziane F^#, Liu N, Averbeck BB, & Ungerleider LG. (2012, Nov 7). Dynamic and static facial expressions decoded from motion-sensitive areas in the macaque monkey. J Neurosci, 32(45), 15952-15962. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1992-12.2012

40. Talbot T*, Ide D, Liu N, & Turchi J. (2011, Dec 4). A novel, variable angle guide grid for neuronal activity studies. Front Integr Neurosci, 6, 1. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2012.00001

41. Nasr S, Liu N, Devaney KJ, Yue X, Rajimehr R, Ungerleider LG, & Tootell RB. (2011, Sep 28). Scene-selective cortical regions in human and nonhuman primates. J Neurosci, 31(39), 13771-13785. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2792-11.2011

42. Wu CW, Vasalatiy O, Liu N, Wu H, Cheal S, Chen DY, Koretsky AP, Griffiths GL, Tootell RB, & Ungerleider LG. (2011, Apr 28). Development of a MR-visible compound for tracing neuroanatomical connections in vivo. Neuron, 70(2), 229-243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2011.03.010

(From Ning Liu, September 15, 2026)