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We study how internal states, bodily signals, and experience reorganize distributed neural circuits and reshape their dynamics and computational properties to shape cognition, emotion, and memory.
Our central goal is to understand how neuromodulators, respiration, and experience regulate population activity, inter-regional communication, and cognitive function across behavior and sleep. We focus on the interactions between the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and related cortical–limbic networks. By combining large-scale neural recordings, causal circuit perturbations, quantitative analysis, and computational modelling, we connect molecular and cellular mechanisms to population dynamics and behavior.
Neural circuits are continuously exposed to changing combinations of norepinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin and other neuromodulators. We monitor neuromodulator release together with large-scale population activity to determine how chemical state reshapes circuit properties, effective connectivity, collective dynamics, and information processing.
We are particularly interested in how simultaneous neuromodulation changes the computational properties of the medial prefrontal cortex and connected cortical–limbic networks across behavior, arousal and sleep.
Breathing is not only a physiological rhythm. It generates sensory, motor and mechanical signals that can organize neuronal activity across distributed brain circuits.
We investigate how respiration coordinates neuronal timing, information flow, and cognitive state across the cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus.
We also study the mechanisms underlying the respiratory entrainment of neuronal circuits.
We study how experiences are encoded, maintained, and reorganized across the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and thalamic circuits.
During behavior and sleep, we investigate memory-related population dynamics, neuronal reactivation, and the coordination of hippocampal ripples, cortical spindles, and slow oscillations.
We ask how these interactions support memory consolidation and how neuromodulatory state controls the stability, transformation, and integration of memory representations.
Neural circuits must generate stable representations and flexible behavior even though their internal state is continuously changing.
We investigate how the medial prefrontal cortex and its interactions with hippocampal, thalamic, and limbic circuits support cognitive control, working memory, decision-making and adaptive behavior.
We study how moment-to-moment changes in population dynamics implement distinct computations, behavior, and internal states.
From neural activity to mechanism
We combine experiments, quantitative analysis, and computational modelling in an iterative cycle.
Neural recordings constrain models of circuit dynamics; models generate mechanistic predictions; and targeted perturbations test those predictions at the level of neural activity and behavior.
Measure
We monitor neuronal population activity, neuromodulator release, and bodily physiology across behavior and sleep.
Techniques
Neuropixels and silicon-probe electrophysiology
Miniscope and optical imaging
Fiber photometry
Genetically encoded neuromodulator sensors
Respiration and physiological monitoring
Anatomical tracing and histology
Analyze
We extract interpretable structure from high-dimensional and multimodal datasets.
Techniques
Statistical modelling
Latent-variable and state-space analysis
Population coding
Dimensionality reduction
Oscillatory and phase-based analysis
Functional and effective connectivity
Communication-subspace analysis
Model comparison and validation
Model
We construct models at complementary levels of biological detail to identify candidate mechanisms.
Techniques
Biophysical circuit models
Mean-field models
Wilson–Cowan networks
Dynamical-systems analysis
Attractor and bifurcation analysis
Data-driven recurrent neural networks
Low-rank RNNs
System identification
Perturb
We causally test the mechanisms suggested by recordings and models.
Techniques
Optogenetics
Local pharmacology
Receptor-specific manipulations
In vivo genome editing
Cell-type-specific interventions
Pathway-specific interventions
Validate
We connect circuit mechanisms to cognitive function and behavioral state.
Techniques
Head-fixed and freely moving experiments
Memory and decision-making tasks
Cognitive flexibility
Emotional behavior
Sleep and memory consolidation
State-dependent behavior
⚙️ We also develop custom experimental hardware, acquisition systems, analytical tools, and software when existing tools are insufficient to answer our scientific questions.
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