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Brain Imaging · White Matter fMRI · Personalized Neuromodulation

SPINLab: Stimulation, Psychology & Imaging Neuroscience Laboratory.

The Ji Laboratory integrates multimodal MRI, white matter functional imaging, brain connectomics, and personalized non-invasive neuromodulation to understand abnormal psychology and brain disorders.

Explore Research Featured Publications
Principal Investigator

Prof. Gong-Jun Ji

Cognitive neuroscientist and clinician-scientist focused on translational neuroimaging, abnormal psychology, and network-guided brain stimulation.

Prof. Gong-Jun Ji

Gong-Jun Ji, Ph.D.

Professor · Anhui Medical University
Email: jigongjun@163.com
Institution: Anhui Medical University, China
Address: No. 18, Meishan Rd., Hefei, Anhui, China
37H-index
2025Rising Star of Science Award

Research Vision

Professor Ji's research expertise lies in using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to unravel the neural mechanisms underlying abnormal psychological states. He is a trailblazer in white matter fMRI research, having developed novel analytical techniques and theoretical frameworks for personalized neuromodulation. His work has been published in top-tier international journals, including Nature Mental Health (2023), Nature Communications (2025, 2026), JAMA Network Open (2024), Biological Psychiatry (2026), Molecular Psychiatry (2026), Science Bulletin (2017, 2025), Radiology (2014, 2017, 2018), and Brain Stimulation (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024). Beyond empirical research, Professor Ji has developed two innovative software tools: TMStarget, a TMS navigation platform available via the free cloud service yun.unistim.cn, and WhiteMatterSF, a specialized analysis package for white matter fMRI data, both of which are widely used by researchers globally.

White Matter fMRI Brain Connectomics AI for Neuroimage Translational Psychiatry Precision Neuromodulation
2025–Present Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience, Anhui Medical University
2018–2025 Associated Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience, Anhui Medical University
People

Team members

A collaborative team of clinicians, neuroscientists, engineers, students, and research staff.

Gong-Jun Ji

Gong-Jun Ji

Principal Investigator

Qiang Hua

Qiang Hua

Postdoctoral Researcher

Yao Meng

Yao Meng

Postdoctoral Researcher

Wen-Qiang Xu

Wen-Qiang Xu

PhD Student

Chun-Jie Shan

Chun-Jie Shan

PhD Student

Wei-Chao Tian

Wei-Chao Tian

Master Student

Xi-Ya Zhao

Xi-Ya Zhao

Master Student

He-Xiao Wu

He-Xiao Wu

Master Student

Zi-Yi Gao

Zi-Yi Gao

Master Student

Meng-Yuan Wang

Meng-Yuan Wang

Master Student

Xue-Feng Xiang

Xue-Feng Xiang

Master Student

Research Programs

From Neuroimaging to personalized brain stimulation

We combine neuroimaging, network neuroscience, computational modeling, and clinical translation to study the biological basis of abnormal psychological states and brain disorders.

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White Matter fMRI

Developing analytical methods and theoretical frameworks for imaging functional activity and connectivity in human brain white matter.

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Brain Connectome

Mapping functional and structural connectomes to reveal network mechanisms underlying cognition, behavior, and psychiatric symptoms.

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Personalized TMS

Building patient-specific targeting strategies for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation using individual brain networks and clinical phenotypes.

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AI for Neuroimaging

Applying machine learning and computational modeling to discover imaging biomarkers and support precision diagnosis and treatment.

Open Tools

Software platforms for the neuroimaging community

The laboratory develops practical research tools that support personalized TMS navigation and specialized white matter fMRI analysis.

TMS Navigation

TMStarget

A personalized TMS navigation platform designed to support individualized target localization and network-guided neuromodulation. The platform is available through the free cloud service yun.unistim.cn.

White Matter fMRI

WhiteMatterSF

A specialized analysis package for white matter fMRI data, supporting researchers who study functional signals, connectivity patterns, and network organization in white matter.

Selected Publications

Representative work

Publications span high-impact neuroscience, psychiatry, radiology, brain stimulation, and computational neuroimaging journals.

Nature Communications · 2026

Distinct antidepressant therapies act on a common brain network

Gong-Jun Ji*, Wenqiang Xu*, Juan Zhang*, Qianqian Li*, et al. Accepted.

Molecular Psychiatry · 2026

Developmental changes of the white matter functional connectome

Guozheng Feng, Kexin Wang, Yichen Wang, Guolin Ma, Jian Cheng, Vince D. Calhoun, Kai Wang, Gong-Jun Ji#, Ni Shu#.

Biological Psychiatry · 2026

A common network of emotional processing recovery across four psychiatric disorders

Yueling Liu*, Wenqiang Xu*, Xiya Zhao*, et al.; Gong-Jun Ji#.

Nature Communications · 2025

A generalized epilepsy network derived from brain abnormalities and deep brain stimulation

Gong-Jun Ji*, Michael D. Fox*, Mae Morton-Dutton, et al.

JAMA Network Open · 2024

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Auditory Verbal Hallucination in Schizophrenia Patients

Qiang Hua, Lu Wang, Kongliang He, Jinmei Sun, Wenqiang Xu, et al.

Nature Mental Health · 2023

White matter dysfunction in psychiatric disorders is associated with neurotransmitter and genetic profiles

Gong-Jun Ji#, Jinmei Sun#, Qiang Hua, Li Zhang, Ting Zhang, et al.

Science Bulletin · 2025

Imaging brain white matter function using resting-state functional MRI

Gong-Jun Ji, Zaixu Cui, Ryan C.N. D'Arcy, Wei Liao, Bharat Biswal, Qing Zhang, et al.

Brain Stimulation · 2024

Comparative Study of Accelerated High-Dose and Low-Dose Magnetic Stimulation for Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease

Jinmei Sun#, Xin Chen#, Jinying Han, Mengqi Wang, Ziye Zhao, Lili Hu, Gong-Jun Ji*, Kai Wang*, Panpan Hu*.

Grant Support

National research funding

The laboratory has received continuous support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

2023

NSFC 82371507
Personalized pathological feature-guided brain network mechanism and rTMS for schizophrenia.

Total cost: ￥490,000

2019

NSFC 81971689
Network mechanism of auditory verbal hallucination and repetitive TMS treatment.

Total cost: ￥550,000

2014

NSFC 81401400
Pathophysiology mechanism of memory impairment in children with Rolandic epilepsy.

Total cost: ￥230,000

News & Updates

Recent highlights

Replace these placeholder items with your laboratory news, awards, publications, conferences, and student achievements.

Nature Communications paper accepted

Work on common brain networks of antidepressant therapies accepted by Nature Communications.

Rising Star of Science Award

Prof. Ji recognized with the Research.com Rising Star of Science Award.

White matter fMRI review published

Perspective on imaging brain white matter function using resting-state fMRI published in Science Bulletin.

Join Us

We welcome motivated students and collaborators

We are looking for students, postdoctoral researchers, clinicians, engineers, and collaborators interested in brain imaging, BOLD signals, white matter fMRI, connectomics, TMS, and computational psychiatry.

Email: jigongjun@163.com Anhui Medical University Hefei, Anhui, China
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