Wood, Ruth
Professor of Integrative Anatomical Sciences
My research uses rodent models to study behavioral neuroendocrinology, how hormones act in the brain during development and in adulthood to control behavior in males and females. My emphasis is on hormonal control of cognition, cooperative behavior, and reward. Current research addresses how oxytocin promotes cooperation, and how anabolic steroid abuse impairs cognition.
Zhang, Li
Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience
As systems neuroscientists, we aim to decipher brain circuits to understand how perception and behavior arise, how the brain adapts to a dynamic environment, and how circuit dysfunction contributes to neurological and psychiatric disorders. We focus on resolving neural architecture—the wiring of neurons that underlies brain function. Technical innovation is central to our approach. We have developed molecular, genetic, electrophysiological, and imaging tools to study circuits supporting both local computation and behavior. Our research integrates in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology, two-photon calcium imaging, neural modeling, anatomical tracing, and optogenetics to build a comprehensive understanding of cell-type-specific circuit mechanisms.
