Our Goal

Animals often display intricate social organization, from dominance hierarchies to social networks, and this organization arises from simple rules of interaction. How does the brain enable meaningful relationships with other group members?

Our group is addressing, from a genetic and neural perspective, how the brain integrates sensory and physiological information to control behavior in a group setting.  We use many different approaches, from behavioral ecology to neuroscience, to understand how the activity of neural circuits is linked to patterns of behavior that underlie organization of the group. Techniques such as long-term automated behavioral analysis, genetics, electrophysiology, circuit characterization, and manipulation of neural activity advance us towards a better understanding of how mice are able to develop stable social hierarchies and networks.