Research interest
Neurons in the hippocampus and associated cortices encode locations and context, underlying an animal's ability to form a mental representation of space and remember the layout of an environment. I am interested in understanding how activation of neurons create spatial representation, and how these functions are disrupted during pathological conditions, such as in Alzheimer's disease. To this end, I use in vivo 2-photon calcium imaging and electrophysiological recording technique combined with virtual reality-based behavioural tasks, to investigate the neural activities underpinning spatial navigation and memory formation. To make the process of behavioural testing more effective and efficient, I have also co-developed the smart-Kage, a novel automated home-cage behavioural testing system. The system overcomes limitations in existing behavioural and cognitive tests, improving data collection and results reproducibility.