Yuting Zeng, PhD, Principal Investigator, Recipient of the NSFC Excellent Young Scientists Fund
Dr. Zeng’s laboratory focuses on the interactions between neural circuits and peripheral organs underlying the interplay of sleep and defensive behaviors under physiological and pathological conditions. Her lab has established a comprehensive platform for sleep research.
The lab currently has postdoctoral positions available and recruits graduate students (including joint-training students) year-round. Candidates with a strong interest in sleep neuroscience are welcome to contact her at: yt.zeng@siat.ac.cn.

Sleep and Emotional Regulation

1. Bo Y, Tseng YT*, Su G, Zhao B, Liang L, Wang L*, Zhou X*. The paraventricular thalamic nucleus is involved in sleep-fragmentation-associated cardiac dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction. Sleep Medicine 2025. *Corresponding authors
2. Schaefke B*, Li J, Zhao B, Wang L*, Tseng YT*. Slumber under pressure: REM sleep and stress response. Prog Neurobiol. 2025. *Corresponding authors
3. Zhao B, Liang L, Li J, Schaefke B*, Wang L*, Tseng YT*. An escape-enhancing circuit involving subthalamic CRH neurons mediates stress-induced anhedonia in mice. Neurobiol. Dis., 2024. *Corresponding authors
4. Song H, Qiu S, Zhao B, Liu X*, Tseng YT*, Wang L*. A machine learning approach for behavioral recognition of stress levels in mice. Neurosci Bull . 2024. *Corresponding authors
5. Wang L, Tseng YT, Schaefke B, Wei P, He S. Reply to“Fear, anxiety, and the functional architecture of the human central extended amygdala. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 2024
6. Tseng YT, Schaefke B, Wei P, Wang L*. Defensive responses: behaviour, the brain and the body. Nat. Rev. Neurosci.  2023
7. Tseng YT*,Zhao B, Ding H, Liang L, Schaefke B, Wang L*. Systematic evaluation of a predator stress model of depression in mice using a hierarchical 3D-motion learning framework. Translational Psychiatry 2023 *Corresponding authors
8. Tseng YT, Zhao B, Chen S, Ye J, Liu J, Liang L, Ding H, Schaefke B, Yang Q, Wang L, Wang F, Wang L*. The subthalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons mediate adaptive REM-sleep responses to threat. Neuron 2022 (Cover story; highlighted by Nature Reviews Neuroscience)
9. Tseng YT, Liang L, Zhao B, Ye J, Wang L*. Connectivity Map of Subthalamic Corticotropin-releasing Hormone Neurons in the Mouse Brain. Neurosci Bull . 2022
10. Liu X, Feng X, Huang H, Huang K, Xu Y, Ye S, Tseng YT, Wei P, Wang L, Wang F*. Male and female mice display consistent lifelong ability to address potential life-threatening cues using different post-threat coping strategies. BMC Biol. 2022
11. Chen S, Tan H, Wang Z, Tseng YT, Li X, Wang L*. Formation of the Looming-evoked Innate Defensive Response during Postnatal Development in Mice. Neurosci Bull. 2022
12. Tseng YT, Zhao B, Liu J, Ding H, Wang F, Wang L*. Sleep deprivation and adrenalectomy lead to enhanced innate escape response to visual looming stimuli. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2020
13. Quarta C, Fisette A, Xu Y, Colldén G, Legutko B, Tseng YT, Reim A, Wierer M, De Rosa MC, Klaus V, Rausch R, Thaker VV, Graf E, Strom TM, Poher AL, Gruber T, Le Thuc O, Cebrian-Serrano A, Kabra D, Bellocchio L, Woods SC, Pflugfelder GO, Nogueiras R, Zeltser L, Grunwald Kadow IC, Moon A, García-Cáceres C, Mann M, Treier M, Doege CA, Tschöp MH*. Functional identity of hypothalamic melanocortin neurons depends on Tbx3. Nat Metab. 2019

She has published papers as co-corresponding author and/or first author in journals including Neuron, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, and Translational Psychiatry.Her research findings have been positively cited in journals such as Cell, Nature Neuroscience, and Annual Review of Neuroscience, and have received dedicated positive commentary in Nature Reviews Neuroscience.