Our laboratory at Caltech is interested in the assembly of neuronal circuits and the mechanisms by which brain circuits give rise to behavior. We focus on the process of neuron addition into the brain of vertebrates, and seek to understand how new neurons integrate into the circuits of the adult brain, and their role in information processing and storage.
To address these questions our laboratory develops new technologies to genetically manipulate the development and biophysical properties of neurons. To investigate how behavior arises from the activity of neurons in brain circuits, we are generating transgenic songbirds to manipulate key genes involved in the assembly of circuits that mediate vocal learning behavior. For brief summaries of current research projects, click here.