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Peixuan Zheng

Assistant Professor
Department of Kinesiology and Health
School of Arts and Sciences
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
70 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ  08901
Email: peixuan.zheng@rutgers.edu
Rutgers Faculty Profile

Openings: I am currently seeking motivated Ph.D. students to join my lab in Spring/Fall 2026.  Details can be found here.

Biography

Peixuan Zheng (郑佩璇) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers University – New Brunswick. Prior to this, she worked as a Post-doctoral Research Associate in the Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois Chicago, mentored by Dr. Robert Motl. Dr. Zheng received her Ph.D. in Kinesiology and a Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Research from the University of Alabama in 2022, advised by Dr. Elroy Aguiar. Before coming to the U.S., she completed her Master's degree from Zhengzhou University and Bachelor's degree from Beijing Sport University in China.

Research

Dr. Zheng’s research focuses on physical activity and its measurement, cognition, and cardiovascular function for managing the consequences of aging and neurological diseases. This work involves: 1) applying wearable technology to advance physical activity assessment in real-world settings; 2) understanding the interaction of physical activity/inactivity with cognition, cardiovascular health, and physical fitness; and 3) developing exercise and behavioral interventions for improving health and wellness in aging and multiple sclerosis. She also uses advanced statistical approaches to examine the within- and between-person associations of health behaviors and outcomes across diverse populations.​

Current areas of interest:

  • Physical activity measurement; Wearable devices

  • Cognition; Cardiovascular function; Walking performance

  • Sedentary behavior; 24-hour movement

  • Exercise intervention; 

  • Digital health and lifestyle intervention

  • Older adults; Multiple sclerosis

Awards & Honors

  • 2024-2026 Department of Defense Multiple Sclerosis Research Program Early Investigator Research Award, MS230284

  • 2023-2024 National Institutes on Aging, Midwest Roybal Center for Health Promotion and Translation, pilot award (NCT05930821)​​

  • 2025 ACTRIMS Young Investigator Educational Grant, Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, Middleton, WI

  • 2024 Labe C. Scheinberg Award Best Work in Neurorehabilitation, The Foundation of The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Center, Hackensack, NJ

  • 2024 UIC Postdoctoral Travel Award, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL

  • 2023 ActiGraph Digital Data Summit Travel Award, ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL

  • 2022 Most Outstanding Student Awards, College of Education, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

  • 2022 Anna and Harold Paige Scholarship, College of Education, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

  • 2021 William W. Taube Quasi Doctoral Scholarship, College of Education, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

  • 2020 Doctoral Student Summer Research Stipend Program, College of Education, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

Selected publications

  • Ducharme SW, Pleuss JD, Turner DS, Zheng P, Adandom II, Aguiar EJ. Normative peak physical activity values for monitor-independent movement summary units: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2014. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. 2025; 1-10 (ahead of print). DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2025-0182

  • Huynh TL, Zheng P, Jeng B, Motl RW. Physical activity is associated with fatigue in persons newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2025; 102:106642. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2025.106642. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40749661.

  • Zheng P, Motl RW. Psychometric properties of free-living step-based metrics (daily steps and peak cadence) in multiple sclerosis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2025; 19:S0003-9993(25)00708-7 (ahead of print). DOI:10.1016/j.apmr.2025.05.005

  • Jeng B, Zheng P, Motl RW. Cognitive-motor coupling in multiple sclerosis: Do chronological age and physical activity matter?. Brain Sciences. 2025;15(3), 274; DOI:10.3390/brainsci15030274

  • Bae M, Zheng P, VanNostrand M. The effects of balance training on cognitive function in persons with multiple sclerosis: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2025; 14:94:106274. DOI:10.1016/j.msard.2025.106274

  • Zheng P, DuBose NG, DeJonge SR, Jeng B, Hibner BA, Motl RW. Vascular function in multiple sclerosis: Systematic review with meta-analysis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2024; 91:105902. DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105902

  • Aguiar EJ, Turner DT, Pleuss JD, Zheng P, Benitez CJ, Ducharme SW. Daily and peak monitor independent movement summary (MIMS) values associated with metabolic syndrome: NHANES 2011-12 and 2013-14. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. 2024;34(11):e14762. DOI:10.1111/sms.14762

  • Zheng P, Phillips SA, Duffecy J, DeJonge SR, DuBose NG, Motl RW. Remotely-delivered exercise training program for improving physical and cognitive functions among older adults with multiple sclerosis: Protocol for an NIH stage-I randomized controlled trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials. 2024;144:107636. DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2024.107636

  • Motl RW, Russell D, Pilutti L, Metse A, Marck C, Chan B, Zheng P, Learmonth Y. Drop-out, adherence, and compliance in randomized controlled trials of exercise training in multiple sclerosis: Short report. Multiple Sclerosis Journal. 2024;30(4-5):605-611. DOI:10.1177/13524585241229332

  • Zheng P, MacDonald HV, Richardson MT, Man K, McDonough IM, Aguiar EJ. Acute effects of cadence-controlled walking on cognition and vascular function in physically inactive older adults: A randomized crossover study. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. 2024;1(aop):1-10. DOI: 10.1123/japa.2023-0363

  • Zheng P, Sandroff BM, Motl RW. Free-living ambulatory physical activity and cognitive function in multiple sclerosis: The significance of step rate vs. step volume. Journal of Neurology. 2024;271(4):1638-1648. DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-12169-0

  • Jeng B, DuBose NG, Martin TB, Šilić P, Flores VA, Zheng P, Motl RW. Updated systematic review and quantitative synthesis of physical activity levels in multiple sclerosis. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 2024;103(4):284-292. DOI: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000002312

  • Zheng P, DeJonge SR, Flores VA, Jeng B, Motl RW. Systematic review and meta-analysis of sedentary behavior in persons with multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2023;80:105124. DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.105124

  • Zheng P, Jeng B, Huynh TLT, Aguiar EJ, Motl RW. Free-living peak cadence in multiple sclerosis: A new measure of real-world walking?. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair. 2023;15459683231206741. DOI: 10.1177/15459683231206741

  • Flores VA, Šilić P, DuBose NG, Zheng P, Jeng B, Motl RW. Effects of aerobic, resistance, and combined exercise training on health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2023;75:104746. DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104746

  • Zheng P, Pilutti LA, DuBose NG, Motl RW. Vascular function and cognition in persons with multiple sclerosis: Preliminary examination. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2023;15:104578. DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104578

  • Aguiar EJ, Mora-Gonzalez J, Ducharme WS, Moore CC, Gould RZ, Amalbert-Birriel AM, Chipkin RS, Staudenmayer J, Zheng P, Tudor-Locke C. Cadence-based classification of moderate-intensity overground walking in 41- to 85-year-old adults. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. 2023;33(4):433-443. DOI: 10.1111/sms.14274

  • Zheng P, Huynh TLT, Jones CD, Feasel CD, Jeng B, Motl RW. Validity of the 30-Second Sit-to-Stand test as a measure of lower extremity function in persons with multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2023;71:104552. DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104552

  • Jin Y, Zeng Q, Cong X, An J, Zheng P. Impact of death anxiety on mental health during COVID-19: The mediating role of the meaning in life. Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology. 2023;17:18344909231165187. DOI: 10.1177/18344909231165187

  • Zheng P, Pleuss JD, Turner DS, Ducharme SW, Aguiar EJ. Dose-response association between physical activity (Daily MIMS, Peak 30-minute MIMS) and cognitive function among older adults: NHANES 2011-2014. The Journal of Gerontology: Series A, 2023;78(2):286-291. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glac076

  • Zheng P, Ducharme SW, Moore CC, Tudor-Locke C, Aguiar EJ. Classification of moderate-intensity overground walking speed in 21-to 85-year-old adults. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2022;1-9. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2103622

  • Zheng P, Zhang L, Shi F, Man K, Aguiar EJ. Health and fitness comparisons among middle-aged and older adults with long-term participation in four different sports. International Journal of Exercise Science. 2022;15(6):1028-39. PMID: 36159338; PMCID: PMC9458280

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