Description of Research Expertise
Research Interests

We are interested in the neural and homeostatic mechanisms controlling REM sleep and the functional role of this brain state in emotional memories and behaviors.

Research Projects

We study REM sleep and its functional roles in the mouse model. Our lab employs a wide range of methods including optogenetics, in vivo electrophysiology, calcium imaging, viral tracing and quantitative modeling to disentangle the neural and homeostatic mechanisms controlling REM sleep. We further seek to develop a circuit-based understanding of how REM sleep affects emotional behaviors in health and disease.

Keywords

Sleep, REM sleep, neural circuits, in vivo electrophysiology, calcium imaging, modeling, optogenetics, viral traching, Chronobiology, gene profiling