Dr. Watson’s lab uses electrophysiology and optogenetics to observe and manipulate dozens of neurons simultaneously in both head-fixed and freely-behaving rodents in order to answer questions aimed both at a fundamental neurobiological understanding of the cortical states and dynamics as well as the role of cortex in disease. We use an approach informed by an understanding of neuronal microcircuit dynamics, macrocircuit connectivity, and organism-level behavior to connect between the level of single neurons, networks of those neurons, and animal behavior.
