The human brain is structurally and functionally organized into a complex network. The topological description of the network has been referred as "human connectome". In the past ten years, Dr. Yong He's team focuses mainly on advanced methodologies and applications of human brain structural and functional connectomics in health and disease by using non-invasive neuroimaging techniques, including structural MRI, diffusion MRI, and resting-state functional MRI. Specifically, their research works include:
Using non-invasive multi-modal imaging data and graph theoretical approaches, they established methodological frameworks for large-scale brain network construction (e.g., He et al., Cereb Cortex 2007, Citations 700+; Gong#, He# et al., Cereb Cortex 2009, Citations: 500+; Wang et al., Hum Brain Mapp 2009, Citations: 300+) and topological descriptions (e.g., small-world, modularity, hubs, etc) (e.g., He et al., PLoS ONE 2009, Citations: 350+; Yan et al., Cereb Cortex 2011, Citations: 100+; Tian et al., NeuroImage, 2011, Citations: 100+; Xia et al., Front Hum Neurosci 2015; Liao et al., Front Hum Neurosci 2015; for reviews, see He and Evans et al., Curr Opin Neurol 2010, Citations: 300+; Wang et al., Neuroscientist 2015) and test-retest reliability validation (e.g., Liao et al., NeuroImage 2013; Wang et al., PLoS ONE 2011, Citations: 100+; Liang et al., PLoS ONE 2012; Du et al., CNS Neurosci Ther 2015), and further showed the underlying physiological substrates and cognitive functions of the brain networks, especially in the brain hubs (e.g., Liang et al., PNAS 2013, Citations: 150+; Liang et al., Cereb Cortex 2015; Liu et al., Cereb Cortex 2016; Wang et al., NeuroImage 2010; Yang et al., Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2015);
They demonstrated typical and atypical developmental patterns of large-scale human brain networks (e.g., Cao et al., Cereb Cortex 2016; Huang et al., Cereb Cortex 2015; Cao et al., Dev Cogn Neurosci 2014; Cao et al., J Neurosci 2013; for reviews, see Cao et al., Mol Neurobiol 2014; Cao et al., Front Neuroanat 2016), revealed topological alterations of large-scale brain networks in various neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and depression), and established connectome-based imaging biomarkers for disease diagnosis and treatment evaluation (e.g., for Alzheimer's studies: Wang et al., Biol Psychiatry 2013, Citations: 150+; He et al., J Neurosci 2008, Citations: 500+; Lo et al., J Neurosci 2010, Citations: 250+; Bai et al., J Neurosci 2012, Citations: 100+; Dai et al., Cereb Cortex 2015; Dai et al., NeuroImage 2012; Wang et al., Hum Brain Mapp 2015; Wang et al., Brain Struct & Funct 2015; for reviews, see He et al., Neuroscientist 2009, Citations: 150+; Dai et al., Neurosci Bull 2014; for multiple sclerosis studies: He et al., Brain 2009, Citations: 200+; Shu et al., Cereb Cortex 2011, Citations: 100+; for Depression studies: Zhang et al., Biol Psychiatry 2011, Citations: 250+; Wang et al., Hum Brain Mapp 2014; Wang et al., Hum Brain Mapp 2015; for reviews and commentary, see Bi and He, Biol Psychiatry 2014; Gong and He, Biol Psychiatry 2015);
They developed graph-theoretical brain network analysis and visualization tools (e.g, Gretna, BrainNet Viewer, and SeeCAT) as well as computing cluster platform for the studies of human brain connectomics (e.g., Xia et al., PLoS ONE 2013, Citations: 400+; Wang et al., Front Hum Neurosci 2015; Wang et al., PLoS ONE 2013). These works by combining modern neuroimaging techniques and advanced graph-theory approaches are important for revealing the brain's structural and functional connectivity patterns in healthy and diseased populations;
Dr Yong He's team published over 180 journal articles regarding imaging connectomics in health and disease, some of which were published at high-profile journals (e.g., PNAS, Brain, Biol Psychiatry). Among these articles, 9 papers have been selected as Cover Papers, and 19 papers have been selected as ESI Highly Cited Papers.
Update: Oct 2, 2016