Denise J. Cai

Denise J. Cai, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, serving as Co-Director of the Computational and Systems Neuroscience Center and Chief of the Affective Neuroscience division in the Nash Family Department of Neuroscience. She maintains active memberships in the Friedman Brain Institute, Center for Neurotechnology and Behavior, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, and Lipschultz Center for Cognitive Neuroscience.

Education:

• BS in Psychology, University of California, San Diego (2004)
• PhD in Psychology & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego (2010)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles (2010-2017)

Research Interests: Dr. Cai's work centers on memory processing mechanisms, trauma responses, sleep-dependent memory consolidation, and aging-related cognitive decline, with neuroanatomical focus on hippocampal-amygdala circuits. Her lab pioneers in vivo calcium imaging, chemogenetic/optogenetic manipulations, and closed-loop neurotechnology systems while developing open-source tools. She actively integrates diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into neuroscience research frameworks.

Scientific Awards:

• NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (2019-2024)
• McKnight Memory and Cognitive Disorders Award (2019-2023)
• One Mind Rising Star Award (2019-2022)
• Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Award (2018-2021)
• Allen Institute Next Generation Leader (2017-2020)
• BBRF Young Investigator Award (2019-2021)

Advising and Grants: Dr. Cai serves on 15 PhD thesis committees across Mount Sinai labs (Kiraly, Goate, Nicolas-Harony, Russo, Schiller, Slesinger, Shaefer) and co-mentored K99/R00 awardees including Dr. Sarah Stern (Max Planck) and Dr. Kirstie Cummings (University of Alabama). Her research is funded by the NIH, McKnight Foundation, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, and One Mind Institute, supporting both basic science and translational trauma research.

Labs and Teams: She leads the Cai Lab within the Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, collaborating extensively with the Computational and Systems Neuroscience Center and Friedman Brain Institute. Her team develops open-source neurotechnology tools while maintaining active partnerships with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Max Planck Institutes, and international research centers for miniscope and closed-loop system development.