Marsh Life Science Building, Rm 337A
109 Carrigan Dr
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
- Ph.D., University of Bristol
- B.Sc., Chinese University of Hong Kong
BIO
We are interested in understanding the genetic, biochemical, and cellular basis of memory and learning. To overcome the difficulties in studying a complex nervous system, we choose to use the model organism Caenorhabditis eleagns, a free-living microscopic roundworm, to uncover fundamental principles of neuroscience. With only 302 neurons and ~7500 synaptic connections, C. elegans is the first organism to have all its connections mapped, providing a robust basis for understanding the relationship between neuronal activity and behavior. At the same time, the worm exhibits sophisticated associative learning ability in response to different environmental cues, such as salt, odor, and temperature. In our lab, we explore the relationship between behavioral changes due to experience, the dynamics of the neuronal network architecture, and the underlying genetic regulations. In particular, we focus on how the insulin signaling pathway may have a role in mediating these processes, which might give us insights into the disorders of the nervous system.
Area(s) of expertise
Neurobiology of Learning, Insulin signaling in the nervous system, Synapse regulation
Bio
We are interested in understanding the genetic, biochemical, and cellular basis of memory and learning. To overcome the difficulties in studying a complex nervous system, we choose to use the model organism Caenorhabditis eleagns, a free-living microscopic roundworm, to uncover fundamental principles of neuroscience. With only 302 neurons and ~7500 synaptic connections, C. elegans is the first organism to have all its connections mapped, providing a robust basis for understanding the relationship between neuronal activity and behavior. At the same time, the worm exhibits sophisticated associative learning ability in response to different environmental cues, such as salt, odor, and temperature. In our lab, we explore the relationship between behavioral changes due to experience, the dynamics of the neuronal network architecture, and the underlying genetic regulations. In particular, we focus on how the insulin signaling pathway may have a role in mediating these processes, which might give us insights into the disorders of the nervous system.
Areas of Expertise
Neurobiology of Learning, Insulin signaling in the nervous system, Synapse regulation