Research Areas

The focus of our research is to understand the cellular and network mechanisms underlying cognitive impairments in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurological disorders, and to identify therapeutic entry points for the treatment of these devastating diseases. We use a multi-disciplinary approach that combines biochemistry, molecular biology, in vivo physiology, and behavioral paradigms to link cellular alterations to memory deficits in mouse models of AD. We use video-recorded EEG to characterize patterns of (aberrant) brain activity in individual mice and correlate activity with performance in behavioral paradigms that test different aspects of memory and cognition. Finally, we use biochemical, molecular, and viral expression techniques to identify links between particular genes and cognitive dysfunction on a mouse-by-mouse basis. This integrated approach allows us to investigate the molecular basis of memory impairments in AD and identify therapeutic entry points for the treatment of this neurodegenerative disease.