Lin Zhou | Cognitive Development | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lin Zhou | Cognitive Development | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Zhou Lin is an accomplished Associate Professor at Shandong Sport University, serving as a master’s supervisor and Deputy Director of the Sports Rehabilitation Research Center. A recipient of the May 4th Outstanding Youth Medal from the Shanghai Health System and the Hebei Doctoral Innovation Program award, Dr. Zhou has made notable contributions to sports rehabilitation. With extensive clinical and academic experience, she focuses on musculoskeletal rehabilitation, cognitive function promotion through exercise, and digital health. She previously worked at Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, where she specialized in neurorehabilitation and orthopedic recovery. Dr. Zhou is actively engaged in scholarly activities, having published over 20 peer-reviewed articles in SCI/SSCI/CSCD journals, and serves as an editorial board member and reviewer for top international journals. Her current academic service includes membership in the Pediatric Rehabilitation Committee (DCD Group) of the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Professional Profile

Education

Dr. Zhou Lin holds a strong academic foundation in medicine and rehabilitation sciences. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Medicine, followed by a Master’s degree in Sports Rehabilitation, and subsequently completed her Doctorate in Sports Human Science. Her academic training spans clinical diagnostics, physical therapy, and the integration of kinesiology and cognitive health. The multi-disciplinary nature of her educational background equips her with a robust skill set for addressing complex health issues, particularly in musculoskeletal and neurological rehabilitation. Dr. Zhou’s academic journey reflects her deep commitment to both foundational medical science and applied rehabilitation practices. Her studies have enabled her to investigate the mechanisms of human movement and recovery while emphasizing evidence-based, life-cycle health interventions, making her an influential figure in China’s sports medicine and rehabilitation research landscape.

Experience

Dr. Zhou Lin began her clinical career in 2008 at Huadong Hospital affiliated with Fudan University, where she worked until 2016 in the Department of Rehabilitation. Her practice focused on orthopedic and neurorehabilitation, managing conditions like sports injuries, spinal pain syndromes, osteoarthritis, and post-surgical recovery. She is proficient in a range of physical therapy techniques, including Maitland and Mulligan joint mobilizations, PNF, Bobath, Brunnstrom, Rood therapies, McKenzie diagnostics, and kinesiology taping. After transitioning into academia, she became an Associate Professor at Shandong Sport University, where she also supervises graduate students and coordinates research at the Sports Rehabilitation Research Center. Additionally, she has served in national rehabilitation societies, including the DCD Group of the Pediatric Rehabilitation Committee and previously as a youth member of Shanghai Rehabilitation Medical Association committees. Her rich blend of clinical and academic roles uniquely positions her to train future practitioners while contributing to the development of rehabilitation science.

Research Interests

Dr. Zhou Lin’s research focuses on musculoskeletal rehabilitation, exercise-cognition interactions, and digital health promotion. Her work emphasizes improving physical function and cognitive well-being across the human lifespan through scientifically structured rehabilitation programs. She explores the interplay between physical activity and mental performance, especially in populations affected by neurological or orthopedic conditions. Additionally, her interest in digital health tools aligns with the growing need for tech-enabled, personalized rehabilitation strategies. Dr. Zhou has been involved in multiple high-impact research initiatives, including a project under the Hebei Doctoral Innovation Program, and has contributed to national and provincial research efforts like the National Social Science Foundation, Shandong Province Key R&D Plan, and Hebei Virtual Simulation Projects. Her role as an editor and reviewer for over ten international SCIE-indexed journals underlines her thought leadership and scientific influence in the global rehabilitation and public health communities.

Awards

Dr. Zhou Lin has been recognized for her excellence in healthcare and research with several prestigious awards. Notably, she received the May 4th Outstanding Youth Medal from the Shanghai Health System, an honor bestowed upon emerging leaders making impactful contributions in the medical field. She was also selected for the Hebei Province Doctoral Innovation Program, highlighting her innovative research contributions in sports rehabilitation. Her editorial roles in high-impact journals such as Journal of Medical Internet Research, BMC Public Health, Frontiers in Psychology, and Frontiers in Public Health demonstrate her recognition at the global level. Over the past three years, she has published 23 research articles in top-tier SCI, SSCI, and CSCD journals. These honors reflect her commitment to advancing rehabilitation science and promoting interdisciplinary innovations that improve patient care and health outcomes through evidence-based interventions and digital technologies.

Conclusion

Dr. Zhou Lin is a dynamic researcher, clinician, and educator whose interdisciplinary expertise in musculoskeletal rehabilitation, cognitive health, and digital innovation places her at the forefront of sports rehabilitation science in China and internationally.

 Publications

  • Understanding parental support for children’s 24‐hour movement behaviors based on an adapted HAPA framework: A three‐wave prospective study

    Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being
    2025-06 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1111/aphw.70034
    Part ofISSN: 1758-0846
    Part ofISSN: 1758-0854
    CONTRIBUTORS: Wei Liang; Guifang Liu; Ning Su; Ryan E. Rhodes; Yanping Duan; Chun-Qing Zhang; Lingfei Wang; Lin Zhou; Hanxiao Zhu

  • Associations of Reallocating Sedentary Time to Physical Activity and Sleep with Physical and Mental Health of Older Adults

    Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
    2024-10 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000003491
    Part ofISSN: 1530-0315
    Part ofISSN: 0195-9131
    CONTRIBUTORS: WEI LIANG; YANPING WANG; NING SU; HUIQI SONG; RYAN E. RHODES; XIANG WANG; BORUI SHANG; LIN ZHOU; QIAN HUANG; DANRAN BU et al.

  • Adherence to 24-Hour Movement Guidelines Among Chinese Older Adults: Prevalence, Correlates, and Associations With Physical and Mental Health Outcomes

    JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
    2024-06-13 | Journal article | Author
    DOI: 10.2196/46072
    Part ofISSN: 2369-2960
    CONTRIBUTORS: Wei Liang; Yanping Wang; Qian Huang; Borui Shang; Ning Su; Lin Zhou; Ryan E. Rhodes; 0000-0002-9093-7897; Yanping Duan

  • Electronic Health Literacy Scale-Web3.0 for Older Adults with Noncommunicable Diseases: Validation Study

    Journal of Medical Internet Research
    2024-06-03 | Journal article | Author
    DOI: 10.2196/52457
    Part ofISSN: 1438-8871
    CONTRIBUTORS: wenfei cai; Wei Liang; HUAXUAN LIU; Rundong Zhou; Given Names Deactivated Family Name Deactivated; Lin Zhou; Ning Su; Hanxiao Zhu; Yide Yang

  • Individual, family, and environmental correlates of fundamental motor skills among school-aged children: a cross-sectional study in China

    BMC Public Health
    2024-01-17 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17728-2
    Part of ISSN: 1471-2458
    CONTRIBUTORS: Yuxiu He; Lin Zhou; Wei Liang; Qi Liu; Wanxin Liu; Shijian Wang

Yi Zhang | Obesity and Inhibitory-control | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Yi Zhang | Obesity and inhibitory-control | Best Researcher Award

Professor, Xidian University, China

Dr. Yi Zhang is a distinguished neuroscientist and professor at the School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, China, where he also directs the Center for Brain Imaging. Born in Xi’an, Shaanxi, China, in 1980, Dr. Zhang has dedicated his academic and research career to exploring the brain’s mechanisms using advanced neuroimaging tools. With a PhD in Pattern Recognition and Intelligent Systems, he combines engineering and neuroscience to investigate conditions like obesity, addiction, and acupuncture effects. He has published over 80 journal articles and served on editorial boards of several high-impact journals. His work emphasizes functional MRI, brain modulation, and neurofeedback to improve cognitive and behavioral health. Recognized with multiple national awards, Dr. Zhang has also served as a visiting scholar in the U.S. and holds memberships in prestigious global neuroscience and medical imaging societies. His research continues to drive innovation in non-invasive brain intervention and signal processing techniques.

Profile

🎓 Education

Dr. Yi Zhang’s academic journey is rooted in Xidian University, Xi’an, China, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering in 2003. He continued his postgraduate studies in the same institution, receiving his Master’s degree in 2006 and PhD in 2009 in Pattern Recognition and Intelligent Systems, focusing on integrating engineering and intelligent control with neural research. His passion for bridging technology and life sciences led him to further his academic exposure abroad. From 2010 to 2011, he was a visiting scholar at the Department of Psychiatry and McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida College of Medicine in the United States. This international experience broadened his expertise in functional MRI and advanced medical imaging. His multidisciplinary educational background has laid a strong foundation for his research in brain imaging, signal processing, and behavioral neuroscience, allowing him to contribute significantly to understanding neural mechanisms in health and disease.

🧪 Experience

Dr. Yi Zhang has had a progressive academic career at Xidian University, starting as a Teaching Assistant in the School of Electronic Engineering (2006–2008), followed by roles as Lecturer (2008–2010), Associate Professor (2010–2015), and Professor since 2015 at the School of Life Science and Technology. His teaching has been complemented by his leadership as Director of the Center for Brain Imaging, where he spearheads interdisciplinary research projects. He has collaborated internationally as a visiting scholar at the University of Florida, enhancing his global perspective in brain imaging. His professional contributions encompass mentoring, publishing, and developing cutting-edge research on obesity, addiction, acupuncture, and real-time neurofeedback. Dr. Zhang has also held key editorial and organizational roles, showcasing his dedication to academic excellence. With over 15 years of continuous experience, he remains a prominent figure in neuroimaging, blending teaching and research to cultivate innovation in neuroscience and intelligent systems.

🏅 Awards and Honors

Dr. Yi Zhang has been the recipient of several prestigious national and institutional honors in recognition of his contributions to neuroscience and medical imaging. In 2022, he received the First Prize of the Shaanxi Higher Education Science and Technology Award for his research on brain modulation in obese patients. His work on acupuncture mechanisms using fMRI earned him First and Second Prizes from the China Society for Stereo Vision and Beijing Natural Science Award in 2015 and 2014, respectively. He was named an Early Career Investigator under the “Hua Mountain Scholar Program” in 2014 and by NIDA’s mini-convention in 2011. Additional accolades include First Prizes from the Shaanxi Higher Education and second prize from the Provincial Science and Technology Award in 2011. These recognitions affirm his innovative work in functional neuroimaging and its applications in cognitive enhancement, pain management, and behavioral intervention. His research continues to garner attention and impact across disciplines.

🔬 Research Focus

Dr. Yi Zhang’s research lies at the intersection of brain science, medical imaging, and behavioral neuroscience. His primary focus is the application of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to investigate brain activity in conditions like obesity, heroin addiction, and acupuncture. As Director of the Center for Brain Imaging, he leads studies on real-time neurofeedback to modulate brain functions, especially appetite and reward mechanisms. His work aims to decode neural patterns and develop interventions that influence behavior and cognition. With an engineering background, he also develops advanced signal processing algorithms to handle dynamic, multivariate neurobiological data. His interdisciplinary approach has helped bridge neuroscience and intelligent systems, enabling novel therapeutic strategies. Dr. Zhang’s research has influenced fields like psychopharmacology, neurofeedback therapy, and brain modulation, providing insights into the biological basis of behavior and supporting non-invasive treatment strategies. He has co-authored over 80 journal papers, affirming his position as a leader in neuroimaging innovation.

✅ Conclusion

Dr. Yi Zhang stands out as a visionary neuroscientist whose interdisciplinary expertise in engineering and life sciences advances brain imaging and cognitive neuroscience. Through pioneering research in fMRI, neurofeedback, and brain modulation, he addresses critical health issues like obesity, addiction, and pain. With a distinguished academic record, numerous awards, and a global scholarly presence, Dr. Zhang continues to shape the future of neuroscience research and education through his leadership, innovation, and dedication to improving human health.

Publications

  • A hybrid network integrating convolution and transformer for thymoma segmentation

    Intelligent Medicine
    2023-08 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1016/j.imed.2022.06.003
    CONTRIBUTORS: Jingyuan Li; Wenfang Sun; Xiulong Feng; Karen M. von Deneen; Wen Wang; Guangbin Cui; Yi Zhang

  • MG-Net: Multi-level global-aware network for thymoma segmentation

    Computers in Biology and Medicine
    2023-03 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.106635
    CONTRIBUTORS: Jingyuan Li; Wenfang Sun; Karen M. von Deneen; Xiao Fan; Gang An; Guangbin Cui; Yi Zhang

  • Electroacupuncture enhances resting-state functional connectivity between dorsal caudate and precuneus and decreases associated leptin levels in overweight/obese subjects

    Brain Imaging and Behavior
    2022-02 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00519-3
    CONTRIBUTORS: Yang He; Karen M. von Deneen; Guanya Li; Borong Jing; Yanyan Zhou; Kaiya Zhang; Yi Zhang; Yuanyuan

  • A dense connection encoding–decoding convolutional neural network structure for semantic segmentation of thymoma

    Neurocomputing
    2021-09 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.1016/j.neucom.2021.04.023
    CONTRIBUTORS: Jingyuan Li; Wenfang Sun; Xiulong Feng; Gang Xing; Karen M. von Deneen; Wen Wang; Yi Zhang; Guangbin Cui

Grit Hein | Social Neuroscience | Best Paper Award

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prof. Grit Hein | Social Neuroscience | Best Paper Award

 

Universität Würzburg, Germany

Profile

Education

She studied Psychology at Humboldt-University in Berlin, Germany, and City College in New York, USA, completing her diploma in 1999 with a grade of “very good.” She earned her doctorate in 2002 at the Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig and Humboldt-University in Berlin. Her academic and professional career progressed through various prestigious positions. In 2002, she began as a research associate at MRC Cambridge, UK, and the University Hospital Frankfurt/M. She then received a DFG-Research Stipend in 2006, conducting research at the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of Berkeley, USA. In 2008, she was awarded the Society-in-Science Stipend and became a Principal Investigator in an independent research project at the University of Zürich, Switzerland. She completed her habilitation and obtained her Venia Legendi in Psychology at Goethe-University Frankfurt/M. in 2014. She later served as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bern, Switzerland, in 2015. In 2017, she was appointed as a Heisenberg Professor at JMU Würzburg, where she continued to advance her research. In 2021, she became a Professor of Translational Social Neuroscience at JMU Würzburg and a Steering Committee Member of the Research Training Group RTG 2660, working alongside Professor Dr. Matthias Gamer in Psychology.

Work experience

Since 2024, she has served as the President of the European Social and Affective Neuroscience Association (ESCAN) – Special Interest Group Social Neuroscience and as the spokesperson for the Neuroscience section at the Graduate School of Life Sciences (GSLS), JMU. Previously, from 2021 to 2024, she held the position of Vice President of ESCAN. Since 2022, she has been a board member of the China-Competence Center at JMU, and since 2021, she has been an Executive Board and Steering Committee Member of the Research Training Group RTG 2660. Her engagement in the research system extends further, as she has been a board member of ESCAN since 2019 and a member of the mentoring program for young female scientists at UKW, JMU. Additionally, she holds a double affiliation with both the Medical Faculty and the Faculty of Human Science at JMU. Since 2018, she has contributed as a panel member of the Hillary Green Research Fund at the University of Birmingham, a standing member of the dissertation committee at UKW, JMU, and a member of the Degree Subject Committee of the Elite Graduate Program in Translational Neuroscience at JMU. She has also supervised numerous early-career researchers, including Anne Saulin, who completed her PhD in 2023 with magna cum laude and is now a DFG postdoctoral fellow at the University of Birmingham, UK; Marthe Gründahl, who also earned her PhD in 2023 with magna cum laude and is now a consultant at Bain & Company; and Dorothee Bruch, who obtained her MD in 2022 with magna cum laude and is currently practicing as a gynecologist.

She has received several prestigious academic distinctions throughout her career. In 2023, she was honored with an award for her extraordinary contribution to teaching by the Medical Faculty and the President of JMU. In 2015, she was awarded the Heisenberg Fellowship by the German Research Foundation, recognizing her outstanding research achievements. Earlier in her career, she received the Branco-Weiss Fellowship from ETH Zürich in 2008 and the Emmy-Noether Fellowship from the German Research Foundation in 2005, both of which supported her innovative research endeavors.

Publication