Searching for episodic memory traces

We are interested in the mechanisms underlying the various facets of episodic memory (the form of memory that allows to recall in the evening the sequence of events of the day) and how mice select and implement strategies to navigate various types of environments. Our approach is to combine large-scale neurophysiological recordings of neuronal population with optogenetic stimulations, sophisticated behavioral assays, and modeling of artificial neural networks. Innovative tools developed in the lab include silicon probe with integrated fibers, a cue-enriched treadmill apparatus largely effective at generating place cell activity, a 3D-printed recoverable micro-drive for silicon probes, an automated variant of the Barnes maze, and neural network models of hippocampal networks evolving through competitive learning. Research studies from the lab address various topics such as the functional organization of landmark and path integration information along the CA1 radial axis, the long-term development of place cell maps associated with learning of an environment, and the mechanisms underlying spatial navigation and the shifts in navigation strategy.