2004 - 2008  Zhejiang University, B.S.

2008 - 2013  Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Ph.D.

2013 - 2016  Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Research Assistant

2016 - 2022  Stanford University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Research Specialist

2022 - 2024  Stanford University, Instructor

2024 -           Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Principal Investigator

Learning and memory are among the most essential functions of the brain, and understanding their underlying mechanisms remains one of the grand challenges of neuroscience research. There are many different types of learning. But we are particularly interested in social learning, a type of observational learning, because this is an advantageous and prevalent form of learning naturally existing across species. We will utilize the mouse model for social learning and combine multi-discipline approaches to explore the molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying social learning and related memory.

Research highlights:

1. The molecular mechanisms of long-term memory consolidation, particularly in social transmission of food preference (STFP). In addition, we will investigate mechanisms involved in the formation of long-term fear memory.

2. The molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying social learning behaviors. Besides STFP, we are also interested in other forms of social learning in rodents. We will focus on the neural circuits that mediate the behavioral responses.

1. Zhihui Liu*^#, Wenfei Sun*, Yi Han Ng, Hua Dong, Stephen R. Quake^#, Thomas C. Südhof^#. The Cortical Amygdala Consolidates a Socially Transmitted Long-term Memory. Nature. (*co-first author, ^#co-corresponding author)

2. Wenfei Sun*, Zhihui Liu*, Xian Jiang, Michelle B. Chen, Hua Dong, Jonathan Liu, Thomas C. Südhof^#, Stephen R. Quake^#. Spatial transcriptomics reveals neuron-astrocyte synergy in long-term memory. Nature, 2024, Mar; 627(8003): 374-381 (*co-first author)

3. Zhihui Liu, Zijun Chen, Congping Shang, Fei Yan, Yingchao Shi, Jiajing Zhang, Baole Qu, Hailin Han, Yanying Wang, Dapeng Li, Thomas C. Südhof, Peng Cao. IGF1-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity of Mitral Cells in Olfactory Memory during Social Learning. Neuron. 2017, 95(1): 106-122

4. Zhihui Liu^#, Man Jiang, Kif Liakath-Ali, Jaewon Ko, Roger Shen Zhang, Thomas C. Südhof^#. Deletion of Calsyntenin-3, an atypical cadherin, suppresses inhibitory synapses but increases excitatory parallel-fiber synapses in cerebellum. eLife. 2022, Apr 14;11:e70664. doi: 10.7554/eLife.70664. (^#co-corresponding author)

5. Cosmos Yuqi Wang, Zhihui Liu, Yi Han Ng, Thomas C Südhof. A synaptic circuit required for acquisition but not recall of social transmission of food preference. Neuron. 2020, 107(1): 144-157. e4

6. Mu Zhou, Zhihui Liu, Maxwell D Melin, Yi Han Ng, Wei Xu, Thomas C Südhof. A central amygdala to zona incerta projection is required for acquisition and remote recall of conditioned fear memory. Nat Neurosci. 2018, 21(11): 1515-1519

7. Congping Shang, Zhihui Liu, Zijun Chen, Yingchao Shi, Qian Wang, Su Liu, Dapeng Li, Peng Cao. A parvalbumin-positive excitatory visual pathway to trigger fear response in mice. Science. 2015, 348(6242): 1472-1477

(From Zhihui Liu, September 10, 2024)