Lab Culture
In our lab, research is never just a job, nor is it something we simply get through each day. We are genuinely excited about discovery, passionate about every project, and deeply fascinated by the brain. We are obsessed with the questions we seek to answer and the problems we want to solve—and we will never stop until we find the answers.
Our work is highly challenging and demands complete focus, dedication, and determination. The only way we can succeed is by building a team of like-minded individuals who share this drive.
En Yang
Principle Investigator
Assistant Professor in Systems and Computational Neuroscience
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,USA
Postdoc in Systems and Computational Neuroscience
HHMI, Janelia Research Campus,USA
Postdoctoral Associate in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D. in Material Science and Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University, USA
M.S. in Instrument Science and Technology
Tsinghua University, Beijing, P. R. China
Jiahe Zhang
PhD student
Jiahe studied life sciences at Northwestern University in China and went to Shanghai Jiao Tong University to complete her master’s degree. She focused on the function of visual circuits in selective attention during her master’s studies. After graduating, she went to UNC to pursue her Ph.D. degree. She is interested in exploring the cognitive process of learning and memory. In her free time, she enjoys shooting films, listening to music, playing the electric guitar, and traveling.
Millen Nguyen
PhD student
I am a student studying in Dr. En Yang’s lab within the department of Quantitative Biology at UNC-CH. My work focuses on mapping the behavior of larval zebrafish, aiming to explore neural networks associated with learning and cognition. With a background in cellular biology and fish behavior, I am passionate about advancing knowledge in behavioral neuroscience. When I’m not with the fish, I enjoy playing volleyball, writing, and hiking. Open to collaborations and discussions in computer science, behavior, neuroimaging, and more!
Shuyang Yao
PhD student
Shuyang received his bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Peking University in 2023, where he studied the spatial navigation system in mice’s brains. After two years as a RA at PKU, he joined Dr. En Yang’s lab through the QBio Program at UNC-CH in Fall 2025. Driven by a desire to reveal conserved computational mechanisms underlying memory and navigation, Shuyang is excited to conduct research based on zebrafish. Beyond research, he enjoys a variety of hobbies, including soccer, badminton, photography, playing the violin, and traveling.
Andrej Lozevski
PhD student
Andrej received his bachelor’s degree at UNC, majoring in Biology with a minor in Russian and years of programming experience. He is deeply passionate about the fields of neuroscience, genetics, and pathophysiology, looking to develop advancements in the understanding of underlying mechanisms of the brain and treating their pathologies. Outside of the lab, he enjoys soccer, learning languages, reading, and strategy games.
Andreas Miller
Research Technician
I received my bachelor’s degree in computer science with a minor in neuroscience from Carleton College. My specific interests in the field are everywhere, but I hope to pursue a PhD in neuroscience in the future. I’m always eager to learn more about different intersections between CS and the brain. In my spare time, I enjoy soccer and track and I’m crazy about weightlifting. However nothing gets my blood pumping like a bad day on a Pokemon nuzlocke.
Zhaojiayi Zhang
Undergraduate Researcher
I am a junior at UNC double majoring in Quantitative Biology and Neuroscience with a minor in Data Science. I love studying the human brain, and I’m especially interested in how neural circuits integrate internal and external cues to guide behavior. I’m also open to exploring new directions in neuroscience as I continue finding what excites me most. In my own time, I enjoy photography, basketball, cooking, playing puzzles, savoring good coffee and matcha, and spending time with my cat.
Nicholas Menzel
Undergraduate Researcher
Hello! My name is Nick Menzel and I am a UNC sophomore biology major minoring in public policy and chemistry. I am an out of state student from Littleton, Colorado and enjoy spending my time outdoors, playing soccer, skiing, hiking, and camping. I also listen to a large variety of music and love going to music festivals with my friends! I am interested in learning more about situational learning and behavior in organisms, along with the neuroscience underlying mental health illnesses.
Taranjit Kaur
Undergraduate Researcher
Hello! I am an undergraduate pre-med student at UNC-CH interested in how neural activity and plasticity can be enhanced to restore motor function after injury. I am currently working on a larval zebrafish sleep and working memory project based on cholesterol diet, building skills in behavioral analysis and recording neural activity. I aim to study how activity-dependent mechanisms can guide circuit motor repair after nervous system injury. Outside the lab, I enjoy doomscrolling and exploring new cafes!
Zhelin Chu
Research Intern
I received my bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Technology, where I studied artificial intelligence, including topics such as audio source separation. I have long been curious about the brain. How the brain functions so robustly while being capable of learning and adapting to different environments fascinates me the most. I hope to understand the brain more as we understand computers. In my spare time, I enjoy playing and watching basketball and cycling. I also love listening to music and playing the guitar.
Gabriella J.V. Delubac
Summer Research Volunteer
Hello! My name is Gabriella Delubac, and I am a sophomore at Chapel Hill High School. I am interested in systems neuroscience and computational approaches to understanding how neural circuits establish processes such as learning, decision-making, and consciousness. I am especially interested in studying evolutionarily conserved mechanisms such as sleep and memory, and how insights from neuroscience can inform the development of artificial intelligence. Outside of the lab, I enjoy coding and playing games, reading and writing fiction, drawing, and crocheting toys.
Lab Alumni
Anna Jayne Perry, former BBSP rotation student; now a Ph.D. student in the Hige Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Andrej Lozevski, former undergraduate Researcher, now a Ph.D. student in EnYang Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Gabriela Barros, former undergraduate researcher; now a Ph.D. student at Johns Hopkins University in the Janelia Joint Graduate Program.
Join Us! The lab is looking for Post-docs, graduate students, and technicians.