Spatially-tuned neurons in the hippocampus and associated cortices encode locations and distance, and underlie 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 in physiological context, and how their functions are disrupted in pathological conditions, such as during Alzheimer's disease. To this end, I use in vivo 2-photon calcium imaging 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 a novel automated home-cage behavioural testing system, called smartKage. The system overcomes several limitation in existing behavioural and cognitive tests, and allows behavioural testing to be more systematic and reproducible.
