Science

General questions we study: What are the "neural logic gates" behind (ir)rationality, flexibility, robustness? How do "arousal" and "emotions" arise, how does this help survival? How do common lifestyle variables, such as dietary nutrients, affect this?

How we study these questions: As a biological entry-point to our questions, we typically use genetically-defined, brain-wide projecting neural networks essential for normal consciousness, such as the orexin/hypocretin circuit of the hypothalamus. We watch these neurons in action using in vivo imaging at high temporal resolution, and we manipulate their activity on a millisecond time scale with optogenetic actuators. At the same time, we track multiple aspects of physiology and behaviour.

Recent/representative research highlights:

external page "Orexin neurons track temporal features of blood glucose in behaving mice"

external page "Control and coding of pupil size by hypothalamic orexin neurons"

external page "Disentangling the role of NAc D1 and D2 cells in hedonic eating"

external page "Ingested non-essential amino acids recruit orexin cells to suppress eating"

external page "Natural hypothalamic circuit dynamis underlying object memorization"

external page "Accumbal D2 cells orchestrate risk avoidance according to orexin singals"

external page All articles (Pubmed link)