What type of neuroscience research do you do and what got you interested in this research?

I study the tactile system, and I’m interested in how cortex interacts with sub-cortical structures to modulate sensory processing. In particular, I investigate how different corticothalamic projections modulate processing depending on the specific behavioral context.

What challenges did you encounter along the way, and how did you overcome these challenges?

One of the biggest challenges is to deal with the variability and mixed effects of neuronal responses and to accept that not every experiment will work perfectly every time. To solve these problems, it helps to do careful analysis and exchange ideas with my lab colleagues to get input and see the problem from a new angle.

What new technique do you think will have the greatest impact on Neuroscience research and how do you plan to apply this to your research?

I think that the greatest impact will be the use of optoelectrodes. This makes it possible to get the bigger picture of neuronal processing and to directly stimulate and record, also from deeper brain regions. It would be interesting to use these optoelectrodes in studies combining electrophysiology with behavior studies.

Lab Website: Krieger Lab Website