We want to understand how the brain uses prior knowledge to guide the body towards its needs and desires. Our “model organism” is the mammalian auditory system. We study the auditory system because hearing disorders afflict ~12-20% of the population, are associated with depression, and are a major modifiable risk factor for dementia. A mechanistic understanding of how the auditory system transforms sensation into action can thus guide the development of novel treatments for these devastating disorders.

We are currently answering the following questions:

  1. To what extent does "higher-order", predictive information control central auditory function?

  2. How do neurons extract meaningful information from noisy or ambiguous sensory signals?

  3. How is information routed from the auditory system to motor and action selection pathways?

  4. What molecular mechanisms control synaptic plasticity during hearing loss?

Techniques

 

 

Brain slices

we use electrophysiology in brain slices to understand how neurons send and receive signals.

we use electrophysiology in brain slices to understand how neurons send and receive signals.

 

2-photon imaging

We use calcium imaging to monitor activity of sub-cellular compartments in behaving animals.

We use calcium imaging to monitor activity of sub-cellular compartments in behaving animals.

Viral Tracing

Molecular/genetic approaches enable manipulation of specific auditory pathways in vivo.

Molecular/genetic approaches enable manipulation of specific auditory pathways in vivo.

 

In vivo electrophysiology

Whole-cell recordings in vivo tell us how auditory responses of individual neurons arise from the synaptic inputs they receive.

Whole-cell recordings in vivo tell us how auditory responses of individual neurons arise from the synaptic inputs they receive.