Investigating Visual Circuits at IITM

The brain is the most complex structure known to man. Its complexity is so daunting that Sir Francis Crick likened it to a piece of alien technology. Nevertheless, given the increasing global burden of brain disorders, understanding how this alien technology works is the need of our generation. Our research group aims to comprehend brain function—and its dysfunction—by looking under the hood and investigating the neuronal micro-circuitry, in particular, the computations performed by these circuits. We are currently focused on unravelling the mechanisms utilized by retinal circuits in encoding the visual scene. We are also investigating how these mechanisms are compromised in visual disorders. In our investigations, we employ a multi-pronged approach that includes techniques like patch clamping, two-photon imaging, and optogenetics.