特任教授，博士生导师。2017年本科毕业于东北林业大学，2022年于中国科学技术大学获得神经生物学博士学位（导师：张智），2022-2025年于中国科学技术大学从事博士后、特任副研究员工作（合作导师：张智）。2026年1月起至今任中国科学技术大学特任教授，课题组长。
国家优青（2025）、安徽省青年拔尖人才（2024）。研究方向为感知觉与情绪的神经机制及调控，相关研究工作以第一或通讯作者（含共同）发表于Neuron（2021）、Nature Communications（2024, 2025, 2026）、Science Advances（2025）、Cell Reports（2023, 2024a, 2024b, 2026）、Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews（2026）等期刊，成果被Science期刊Perspective、Neuron期刊Previews和Spotlight等评述文章引用报道，入选Cell出版社年度中国最佳论文和中国神经科学重大进展，ESI高被引论文3篇，授权国家发明专利5项。曾获中科院院长特别奖、长三角神经科学青年科学家奖、CNS-FENS Travel Award、教育部自然科学二等奖（第五完成人）、小米青年学者等荣誉。主持国家自然科学基金青年项目（B类、C类）、国家重大科技专项项目子课题、博士后创新人才支持计划、省自然青年、博后面上、中科大青创重点等项目，参与科技创新2030、基金委专项、基金委区域联合创新重点（骨干）等项目。
任安徽省神经科学学会青年创新工作委员会秘书长、中国认知科学学会认知神经环路与信息处理专业委员会委员、中国研究型医院学会神经再生与修复专业委员会委员。Clinical Case Studies in Neurology编委、生命的化学、生理学报、Sensory Neuroscience和Aging Advances期刊青年编委。
主要研究方向：
（1）感知觉与负性情绪的中枢-外周交互机制；
（2）本能行为中感知觉与情绪变化的神经机制；
（3）外周感知觉刺激改善脑功能的神经基础；
（4）临床药物调节感知觉异常与情感障碍的神经基础。
代表性论文：
1. Hao Huang1, Yaying Li1, An Liu1, Mingjun Zhang, Hong-Rui Wei, Run-Jie Wu, Yumeng Yang, Xu Wang, Zhi Zhang*, Peng Cao*, Wenjuan Tao*. An orexinergic circuit driving migraine relief by lavender essential oil. Current Biology, 2026, In Press.（共同通讯）
2. Mingjun Zhang1, Songbin Liu1, Xu Wang1, Bojian Ye, Ziyun Ni, Jun Ma, Ying Liu, An Liu, Zhi Zhang*, Jun-Ma Yu*, Wenjuan Tao*, Peng Cao*. Green light relieves stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors via visual-to-prefrontal projections in mice. Cell Reports, 2026, 45(6):117426.（最后通讯）
3. Jun Ma1, Xiaoqi Peng1, Mingjun Zhang1, Wei Gao, Xinlu Yang, Zerui Wang, Xiaoqing Chai*, Zhi Zhang*, Sheng Wang*, Peng Cao*. A brain-to-small intestine circuit mediates morphine-induced constipation in male mice. Nature Communications, 2026, 17(1):1023.（最后通讯）
“Focus栏目Featured Article”
4. Ji Wang1, Mengbing Huang1, Ziyun Ni, Zhi Zhang*, Peng Cao*. Neural mechanisms underlying orofacial prosocial behavior in rodents. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2026, 183:106572.（最后通讯）
5. Mingjun Zhang1, Ziyun Ni1, Jun Ma1, An Liu1, Ying Liu, Qianqian Lou, Wan-Ying Dong, Zhi Zhang*, Juan Li*, Peng Cao*. A neural circuit for sex-dependent conditioned pain hypersensitivity in mice. Nature Communications, 2025, 16(1):3639.（最后通讯）
“Focus 栏目 Featured Article、国际疼痛研究协会（IASP）Pain Research Forum 栏目主编精选文章（Editor’s Pick）”
6. Peng Cao1, Ying Liu1, Ziyun Ni1, Mingjun Zhang1, Hong-Rui Wei, An Liu, Jin-Rong Guo, Yumeng Yang, Zheng Xu, Yuyu Guo, Zhi Zhang, Wenjuan Tao, Likui Wang*. Rescue-like behavior in a bystander mouse toward anesthetized conspecifics promotes arousal via a tongue-brain connection. Science Advances, 2025, 11(4):eadq3874.（第一作者）
“Science期刊Perspective和Neuron期刊Spotlight评述，ESI高被引论文”
7. Danyang Chen1, Qianqian Lou1, Xiang-Jie Song1, Fang Kang, An Liu, Changjian Zheng, Yanhua Li, Di Wang, Sen Qun, Zhi Zhang*, Peng Cao*, Yan Jin*. Microglia govern the extinction of acute stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors in male mice. Nature Communications, 2024 15(1):449.（共同通讯）
“ESI 高被引论文：100次”
8. Hong-Rui Wei1, Lan Tang1, Xin-Lu Yang1, Chang-Mao Chen, Le-Xian Li, Yu Mao, Di Wang, Fang Kang, Sen Qun, Zhi Zhang*, Peng Cao*, Yan Jin*. A microglial activation cascade across cortical regions underlies secondary pain to amputation. Cell Reports, 2024a, 43(2):113804.（共同通讯）
9. Yumeng Yang1, Hao Huang1, Meng-Yu Zhu1, Hong-Rui Wei, Mingjun Zhang, Lan Tang, Wei Gao, Xinlu Yang, Zhi Zhang*, Peng Cao*, Wenjuan Tao*. A neural circuit for lavender-essential-oil-induced antinociception. Cell Reports, 2024b, 43(10):114800.（共同通讯）
10. Peng Cao1, Mingjun Zhang1, Ziyun Ni1, Xiang-Jie Song, Chen-Ling Yang, Yu Mao, Wenjie Zhou, Wan-Ying Dong, Xiaoqi Peng, Changjian Zheng, Zhi Zhang*, Yan Jin*, Wenjuan Tao*. Green light induces antinociception via visual-somatosensory circuits. Cell Reports, 2023, 42: 112290.（第一作者）
11. Peng Cao1, Changmao Chen1, An Liu1, Qinghong Shan, Xia Zhu, Chunhui Jia, Xiaoqi Peng, Mingjun Zhang, Zahra Farzinpour, Wenjie Zhou, Haitao Wang, Jiang-Ning Zhou, Xiaoyuan Song, Liecheng Wang, Wenjuan Tao, Changjian Zheng, Yan Zhang, Yu-Qiang Ding, Yan Jin*, Lin Xu*, Zhi Zhang*. Early-life inflammation promotes depressive symptoms in adolescence via microglial engulfment of dendritic spines. Neuron, 2021, 109(16), 2573-2589.（第一作者）
“Cell Press年度中国最佳论文、Neuron同期Previews长文评述、ESI高被引论文：365次”
12. Zahra Farzinpour1, An Liu1, Peng Cao1, Yu Mao, Zhi Zhang*, Yan Jin*. Microglial engulfment of spines in the ventral zona incerta regulates anxiety-like behaviors in a mouse model of acute pain. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 2022, 16:898346. （共同第一）
13. Xia Zhu1, Hao-Di Tang1, Wan-Ying Dong1, Fang Kang1, An Liu, Yu Mao, Wen Xie, Xulai Zhang, Peng Cao, Wenjie Zhou, Haitao Wang, Zahra Farzinpour, Wenjuan Tao, Xiaoyuan Song, Yan Zhang, Tian Xue, Yan Jin, Juan Li, Zhi Zhang.Distinct thalamocortical circuits underlie allodynia induced by tissue injury and by depression-like states. Nature Neuroscience, 2021, 24(4):542-553.
14. Xia Zhu1, Wenjie Zhou1, Yan Jin, Haodi Tang, Peng Cao, Yu Mao, Wen Xie, Xulai Zhang, Fei Zhao, Min-Hua Luo, Haitao Wang, Jie Li, Wenjuan Tao, Zahra Farzinpour, Likui Wang, Xiangyao Li, Juan Li, Zheng-Quan Tang, Chenghua Zhou, Zhizhong Z Pan*, Zhi Zhang*. A central amygdala input to the parafascicular nucleus controls comorbid pain in depression. Cell Reports, 2019, 29(12):3847-3858.e5.
15. Zi-Hua Song1, Xiang-Jie Song1, Chen-Ling Yang, Peng Cao, Yu Mao, Yan Jin, Meng-Yun Xu, Hai-Tao Wang, Xia Zhu, Wei Wang, Zhi Zhang, Wen-Juan Tao. Up-regulation of microglial chemokine CXCL12 in anterior cingulate cortex mediates neuropathic pain in diabetic mice. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, 2023, 44(7):1337-1349.
16. Yuping Wang, Peng Cao, Lisheng Mei, Weiwei Yin, Yu Mao, Chaoshi Niu, Zhi Zhang*, Wenjuan Tao*. Microglia in the primary somatosensory barrel cortex mediate trigeminal neuropathic pain. Neuroscience, 2019, 414:299-310.
17. Ting-Ting Pan1, Wei Gao1, Zi-Hua Song1, Dan-Dan Long, Peng Cao, Rui Hu, Dan-Yang Chen, Wen-Jie Zhou, Yan Jin, Shan-Shan Hu, Wei Wei, Xiao-Qing Chai, Zhi Zhang, Di Wang*. Glutamatergic neurons and myeloid cells in the anterior cingulate cortex mediate secondary hyperalgesia in chronic joint inflammatory pain. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2022, 101:62-77.
Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com.hk/citations?user=fRFIXSsAAAAJ&hl=zh-TW
联系方式：pengcao@ustc.edu.cn