Social neuroplasticity

My current work focuses on California mouse communication and cooperative behavior. Mating pairs of this species form strong affiliative bonds and coordinate with one another in the wild to procure resources, maintain territory, and defend young. However, little is known about how the formation of an affiliative relationship results in this cooperation. I conduct behavioral assays in conjunction with neuropeptide manipulations and cellular/molecular analyses in order to inform this question.

Current projects include investigating the impact of adult hippocampal neurogenesis on behavioral responses to social stimuli and exploring the role of intranasal oxytocin and the nucleus accumbens on social conditioned place preference formation.

PAST WORK

Glia and cognition

Glia are non-neuronal cells in the brain that are conventionally considered housekeepers, maintaining a healthy environment for neurons to function properly. However, recent evidence suggests they play a more active role in cognition. I worked with the Gould Lab at Princeton University to assess the enhanced cognitive flexibility of rats for which astrocytic calcium signaling was virally manipulated. I also used transmission electron microscopy to image synapse pruning by microglia in mice with obesity-associated cognitive decline. This work underscores glia as promising therapeutic targets in the treatment of cognitive disorders.