The Neural Circuit Dynamics & Translational Engineering Lab

Neuropsychiatric disorders are highly prevalent and arise from diverse biological and environmental factors. Although extensive research has uncovered important mechanisms at the genetic, molecular, cellular, and circuit levels, our understanding remains incomplete, leaving major gaps in how these disorders develop and how effective therapeutic interventions can be tailored to specific symptoms. A central challenge is the diversity of clinical manifestations within each disorder, which obscures their core pathophysiology. Our laboratory aims to disentangle this complexity by identifying how different neuropsychiatric disorders, which often present with overlapping symptoms in diverse contexts, can be differentiated at the mechanistic level. To achieve this, we focus on physiological commonalities across multiple psychiatric and neurological disorders, many of which share subsets of symptoms. In particular, we are interested in the synaptic and cellular bases of these shared symptoms relevant to emotional and cognitive function, motivated by recent genetic evidence highlighting the involvement of synaptic and cellular dysfunction in these conditions. Furthermore, we seek to clarify the neural principles that distinguish a variety of neuropsychiatric and neurological states, providing a framework for understanding both their shared and divergent mechanisms. To uncover the synaptic, cellular, and population-level mechanisms underlying these disorders, we employ cutting-edge methodologies, including in vivo calcium imaging, optogenetics, chemogenetics, and machine-learning–based analyses. In addition, we are dedicated to developing novel methodologies and innovative tools that provide new perspectives on the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. Ultimately, by brid