Jingjing Cheng, PhD

My research focuses on the neural control of metabolic disorders, particularly obesity. I earned my PhD at Zhejiang University, where I investigated the neural mechanisms regulating reward and feeding behavior. In September 2024, I joined the Xu lab to study how hypothalamic circuits contribute to obesity and its comorbidities. My expertise includes electrophysiology, neural circuit mapping, behavioral neuroscience, and metabolic disease models. With interdisciplinary training bridging neuroscience and metabolism, my long-term goal is to develop brain-based strategies for preventing and treating metabolic-psychiatric disorders. Outside the lab, you’ll likely find me exploring museums, walking in nature parks and beaches, or experimenting with new baking recipes in my kitchen.