Our lab studies the genetic and activity-dependent cues that direct proper wiring in the brain. During development, billions of neurons need to make trillions of synapses in a precise manner to mediate proper sensory perception, behaviors and cognitive processes. In many sensory systems, neurons are organized into topographic maps of space, wherein neighboring neurons monitor adjacent regions of the outside world. In associative centers, maps of different sensory modalities must be brought into register to allow for proper integration. To understand the cellular processes involved in this precise wiring, we utilize anatomical tracing methods, electrophysiology and molecular techniques in transgenic mouse models.

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