Zhi-De Deng, PhD
Engineer | Physicist | Brain Stimulation Researcher
Full-Time Awesome Person
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About Zhi
Dr. Deng is Senior Associate Scientist and Director of the Computational Neurostimulation Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health, where he leads an interdisciplinary program at the intersection of electrical engineering, computational modeling, and psychiatric neuromodulation.
His research addresses a central challenge in brain stimulation: understanding precisely what a device does to the brain and how to make it do the right thing for each patient. His work spans three integrated areas: (1) mechanistic modeling of neurostimulation, linking device physics to neural and circuit-level responses; (2) personalized optimization of therapeutic dosing using patient-specific models and data to improve outcomes and reduce variability; and (3) model-driven neurotechnology development to design and evaluate next-generation stimulation systems in collaboration with clinicians and industry.
His electric field modeling established the fundamental depth–focality tradeoff in transcranial magnetic stimulation and has shaped how researchers, clinicians, and regulators evaluate stimulation devices, contributing to the scientific foundation for device clearance and clinical adoption. Parallel work in seizure therapy has demonstrated that patient-specific electric field modeling can identify the dose underlying both antidepressant response and cognitive side effects. His 2024 JAMA Psychiatry randomized clinical trial comparing magnetic seizure therapy with electroconvulsive therapy represents a milestone in evidence-based seizure treatment. He holds multiple patents on brain stimulation technology and dosing strategies and has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications.
Dr. Deng holds degrees in Physics (SB) and Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (SB, MEng) from MIT and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, followed by postdoctoral training at Duke University and a research fellowship at NIMH. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE, and has received numerous honors, including two NIMH Director's Awards for scientific innovation. His long-term vision is to integrate engineering and data-driven modeling into psychiatric practice, enabling a new generation of precise and personalized neuromodulation therapies.
