Lab Introduction

The nervous system integrates single neurons' activities to respond to environmental stimuli with behaviors. Basic neuronal circuits like the knee reflex involve several neurons; however, complex behaviors and cognitive functions need cooperation among different brain regions. We integrate various laboratories' expertise and model systems, from cultured neurons to zebrafish and mouse models, to connect the neuronal functions at the molecular and cellular levels to behavioral activities. We routinely use electrophysiology, neuronal (stem) cell culture, adenovirus infection, brain slice recording, in vivo 2-photon ion imaging, and behaviors of zebrafish and mice. The research topics we currently focus on are neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration of cultured neurons; fighting response and depression of zebrafish; intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell and the circadian rhythm of mice.