Projects
The long term interest of the lab is to understand how brain regions collaborate to perform computations and execute behaviour. We are specifically interested in understanding how the cerebellum communicates with the forebrain during the execution of both motor and cognitive functions. To tackle this problem, we take an interdisciplinary approach combining modern methods in systems neuroscience, molecular biology, and computational analysis. We are guided by the principle that each scientific problem presents its own challanges that may require a specific set of technical approaches, so we must cater our experiments and analyses to the these unique challenges. Our research program is comprised of three interlocking goals: (1) to understand the organization of long-range connections formed between the cerebellum and multiple parts of the forebrain, (2) to measure and model the dynamics in these multiregional circuits during behaviour, and (3) to perform targetted genetic and functional manipulations to assess the causal roles of the organzation and function within single brain regions to multiregional computations and behaviour.
Organization of multiregional circuits
Cerebellar circuits are organized into modules with specific functional properties functions. We hypothesize that these cerebellar modules may participate in different multiregional circuits with distinct functions. To test this idea, we are mapping out cerebellar module function during behaviour and using circuit tracing methods to identify how the function of cerebellar modules is related to their long-range connections.
Dynamics of multiregional computations
We are performing simultaneous population recordings in cerebellar modules and connected regions of the forebrain to understand how these long-range partners work together to generate behaviour. We are then employing computational approaches to model the influence of cerebellar output on neural dynamics in these partner regions.
Perturbations of communication between circuit nodes
Revealing the roles of long-range connections in computation and behaviour requires disrupting lines of communication. We are performing optogenetic manipulations to disrupt information flow in intact multiregional circuits and genetic manipulations to alter connectivity.
