Our lab aims to understand the underlying mechanism of the hippocampal cognitive map through studying interactions of its basic components: place, grid, border and head direction cells. To achieve this, we combine the state of the art experimental approaches informed by computational modelling. We use two photon imaging combined with the virtual reality, electrophysiology and optogenetics techniques to record and manipulate hundreds of neurons in navigating rodents. We also use mono-synaptic virus tracing techniques to relate neural function to anatomy. Finally, we are applying our techniques to understand the underlying mechanism of the Alzheimer?s disease: from its onset manifested by accumulation of amyloid beta and tau proteins in the hippocampal formation to cell death and behavioral impairments.
