Shin Nagayama
Associate Professor
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
McGovern Medical School
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy
I am interested in how individual neurons contribute to the function of their embedding neuronal network and affect animal behavior. Our lab challenge to bridge cellular researches to network researches, focusing on mouse olfactory system as a model system. We measure cellular properties of individual neuron (cellular structure, location, connectivity, molecular expression etc) with its functional properties (e.g. response properties induced by odor stimulation) to understand the rules underlie the information processing in a given neuronal network. Multiple techniques are used in the lab. In vivo two-photon imaging technique is used to visualize structure and function of individual neurons. Electrophysiological recording is used to measure high temporal activity patterns of neurons. Immunohistochemical assay is used to identify structure and molecular properties of recorded neurons.
A tutorial in my laboratory will provide experience of functional assay, including animal surgery, optical/electrophysiological recording of target neurons in vivo, and analyze the corrected data. In addition, morphological assay will be also part of the tutorial, including animal fixation, cryosection and immunohistochemistry. Projects will be set depending on the student’s interests.
McGovern Medical School Faculty
Education & Training
PhD, University of Tokyo, 2004