Neurophysiology | Neural circuits| Neuroethology

Goal-directed actions — whether it’s for foraging, escaping predation, or social interactions — is widespread across species with varying degrees of complexity. Many of these motor behaviours are not only essential for survival, but endow the animal with a strong ability to adapt their actions to changing needs and contexts (motor-cognitive flexibility). For the past few years, I focussed on the neural circuits underlying learned vocalizations—a socially motivated, goal-directed motor behavior.  Using the songbird model—one of the few non-human species capable of vocal learning akin to human speech—I combined neural recordings with naturalistic behaviour to probe how the brain supports vocal-motor learning and plasticity. Previously (PhD), I worked on the neurophysiology of single neurons - the basic building blocks of the nervous system - focussing on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of neural plasticity and flexibility in neuronal function. 

Currently, I am combining my training in neuroethology & neurophysiology with mouse genetics & circuit manipulations to investigate how our brain evaluates our immediate surrounding in different contexts to direct successful target-oriented movements. In the future I hope to shed light on the neural basis of  our motor-cognitive flexibility, particularly during social goal-directed actions and cases where they are severely impaired.