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Bohan Zhao

I am an AHA postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Li Ye at Scripps Research/HHMI. My research focuses on how adipose tissue communicates with the brain to regulate metabolism and behavior, with a particular emphasis on the role of adipose sensation in behavioral and mental disorders. Using in vivo whole-brain activity recording, viral-genetic tracing, and whole-brain clearing, I aim to map the neural circuits mediating brain-body interactions in metabolic homeostasis and investigate how their dysfunction contributes to metabolic and mood disorders.

Prior to this, I earned my Ph.D. in neuroscience at Tsinghua University under the mentorship of Yi Zhong, where I investigated how sensory stimuli shape long-term memory formation in Drosophila. My research led to the discovery of "context-dependent memory" and "merged memory". Building on this foundation, I pursued further study as an EMBO Postdoctoral Fellow with Gero Miesenböck at the University of Oxford, where I studied the neural mechanisms of sleep regulation and refined my expertise in in vivo electrophysiology and multiphoton imaging.

Outside the lab, I enjoy exploring new hiking trails, rock climbing, teaching myself electric guitar, and contemplating big questions in neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy.

           

Research

My current research interests lie in how sensory information affects behavior and cognition, with a focus on developing therapeutic strategies for neurological and psychological disorders.

Project 1
Long-term memory is formed immediately without the need for protein synthesis-dependent consolidation in Drosophila
Zhao B, Sun J, Zhang X, Mo H, Niu Y, Li Q, Wang L, Zhong Y.
Nat Commun 10, 4550 (2019).
> Highlighted by Giurfa and Brembs. F1000Prime (2019)

We discovered a novel context-dependent long-term memory (cLTM) encoded in the lateral horn—a higher-order olfactory center. Unlike conventional memories, cLTM forms rapidly, lasts a lifetime, and bypasses protein synthesis. Our findings reveal that multisensory integration actively stabilizes memory, explaining why familiar contexts often revive seemingly forgotten memories.

Project 2
Differential conditioning produces merged long-term memory in Drosophila
Zhao B, Sun J, Li Q, Zhong Y
eLife 10:e66499 (2021)

This work identifies "merged memory" (mLTM), a generalized emotional memory that attributes aversion to an entire experience. It sheds light on how emotional biases distort memory precision—offering a model to understand anxiety, PTSD, and affective decision-making.

Project 3
Exclusion and Co-expression of Aversive Olfactory Long-Term Memories in Drosophila
Zhao B, Zhang X, Zhao J, Li Q
Neurosci Bull 38, 657–660 (2022)

This study explores how different long-term memories (spLTM, cLTM, mLTM) interact within the brain. It highlights how the olfactory system integrates competing memory traces, balancing behavioral flexibility and memory precision.

Project 4
Genetic dissection of mutual interference between two consecutive learning tasks in Drosophila
Zhao J, Zhang X, Zhao B, Hu W, Diao T, Wang L, Li Q
eLife 12:e83516 (2023)

We identified two molecularly distinct pathways regulating learning interference:

  • Proactive interference (older memories block new learning) – mediated by the CSW/Raf/MAPK pathway
  • Retroactive interference (new memories erase old ones) – controlled by Rac1-based forgetting

This work reveals a genetic framework for memory competition and highlights how the brain prioritizes information across time.

Awards

Academic Activities