Dr. Cheng investigates brain-behavior relationships to advance both cognitive neuroscience and clinical translation. As a researcher in the Applied Neuroimaging Statistics Laboratory (ANSR) at McLean Hospital, she collaborates with mentors Dr. Lisa Nickerson and Dr. David Harper to map neuroimaging biomarkers associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease. Leveraging multi-modal datasets from public datasets such as the Human Connectome Project (HCP) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), her work aims to improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Her early research focused on understanding individual differences in spatial cognition. Combining fMRI, psychophysics, and computational modeling, she identified distinct neural networks involved in processing travel trajectories versus head direction, providing foundational insights into how the brain supports navigation. Her studies also revealed how demographic factors, such as gender, correlate with self-reported navigation strategies, underscoring the interplay of biological and sociocultural influences on cognition. During her training at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Dr. Cheng developed expertise in statistical modeling and machine learning to address heterogeneity in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Her analyses of neuroimaging and clinical data advanced methods for characterizing subtypes of dementia progression, with implications for personalized patient care.

By integrating her work on individual cognitive differences with neurodegenerative disease research, Dr. Cheng seeks to translate neuroimaging discoveries into actionable tools for clinicians. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges cognitive neuroscience and clinical translation, aiming to enhance outcomes for individuals affected by dementia.