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Study opportunities

Jelena Radulovic's lab

Available Ph.D. student project:

Title: Cellular mechanism of (mal)adaptive memory processing in the hippocampal-cortical circuit in stress.

Stress is known to severely affect our memory, but how stress affects the neuronal circuit relevant to memory processing is unknown. This project aims to illuminate the mechanistic understanding of the stress effect on the hippocampal-cortical circuits known to be critical for various aspects of memory processing and memory-guided behavior.

Lab background:

Our lab consists of three senior scientists: Jelena Radulovic (Professor and Group leader), Asami Tanimura (Associate Professor), and Naoki Yamawaki (Associate Professor). Each design and run the projects in a small group but all work together under the common theme of the neurobiology of stress-related memory. Three major questions we try to address are: (1) What are the brain circuits conferring stress susceptibility and maladaptive memory processing? (2) How does neuromodulation contribute to the (mal)function of these circuits? and (3) What are the cellular/molecular mechanisms sustaining circuit malfunction and maladaptive behavior? By addressing these, we hope to create a mechanistic model of stress effect on memory processing that can be used to predict stress-induced maladaptive behavior.

Methods:

The lab has great expertise in a variety of cutting-edge methods at multiple neurobiological system levels.

  • Molecular approach:  Immunohistochemistry, RNA scope
  • Cellular/Circuit approach: Anatomical circuit tracing, in vitro electrophysiology combined with optogenetics/chemogenetics.
  • Systems approach: In vivo electrophysiology/Fiber photometry combined with optogenetics and behavior.
  • Behavior approach: Behavior quantification using deep learning to assess cognitive, social, and emotion-related behavior

We also routinely use transgenic mice and viruses to genetically access cell-type-specific circuits.

The successful applicant is:

  • Recent BSc/MSc graduate with a strong interest in cellular/systems neuroscience and quantitative approach.
  • Interested in understanding memory processing from the neuronal circuit perspective.
  • Is highly communicative/articulate.
  • Has creative thinking and can intellectually contribute to the laboratory.