Innovation spurs discovery.

The goal of our research is to invent new molecular tools for analyzing and engineering functional neural circuits. We also leverage these tools, combined with optical imaging techniques, to study molecular mechanisms of neurological disorders at system level and to empower searching for novel therapeutic treatments.

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Our Research

My lab develops new optical tools for multiplex, large-scale recording of neural activity and employs these tools to study the brain mechanisms over the control of behaviors in health and disease. We stand at the interface of neuroscience, protein engineering, optics, iPSC technology and computational modeling.

To make a long-lasting impact in the field, we also distribute these tools, in the format of collaborations, to other neuroscientists and cell biologists who apply them to tackle challenging questions that are difficult to be addressed with currently available methods.

Current projects include: development of fluorescent indicators for monitoring all kinds of neural activity, including neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and neuropeptides; development of optical probes for deep-brain imaging; development of microsensing systems for astrocyte-neuron interaction in human iPSC stem cell models of neurological disorders.

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