The research page is currently being updated - a brief summary is shown below and more information will be available soon!
Using crayfish as our primary research model, the overall goal of our experimental work is to better understand animal behavior and its control by the nervous system. We primarily focus on how social experience shapes the neurochemical/neurophysiological mechanisms and corresponding behavioral outputs in ecologically relevant contexts. We apply a wide range of techniques and methods, including video analysis, motion tracking, extra- and intracellular electrophysiology, neuropharmacology, neuroimaging, and (most recently) genetics.Four main topics, and their interconnections, are currently investigated in detail:
- Aggression and dominance
- Decision-making and behavioral choice
- Alcohol sensitivity
- Gut microbiome and gut-brain axis
