En Yang, Ph.D.

Research

My lab will use a custom-made virtual reality rig to explore how the brain conjures remembered images and performs spatial navigation. Recent studies have shown that animals, like humans, are able to visualize a familiar location based on memory. Although multiple brain regions must cooperate to form such mental maps, it is unclear how these neural circuits interact to build and navigate these imagined spaces. Combining my expertise in engineering and computational science with advanced techniques in whole-brain imaging, we will identify the individual cells and circuits that are active when zebrafish learn to swim their way through a virtual reality tank in which they must avoid simulated predators and seek safe places to hide. We will then systematically disable these neural systems and assess whether and how fish can adapt to this manipulation as they continue to navigate their virtual world. These findings could point toward novel therapeutics for boosting cognitive performance or rescuing memory deficits.