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

I am interested in identifying the brain circuit responsible for sleep and wake. I became interested when I learned as an undergraduate that mice and other mammals have REM sleep, but the circuit that makes us fall asleep is not known.

There are many people that have difficulty falling asleep or they fall asleep at inappropriate times. Sleep is part of a healthy lifestyle together with dieting and exercise.

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

The biggest challenge is attracting funding for your research ideas and the key to funding are hypothesis driven studies that advance science.

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 ?

In behavioral neuroscience, deep-brain imaging together with electrophysiology is likely to identify the brain circuits.

Bio - Peter Shiromani, PhD: academicdepartments.musc.edu/psychiatry/education/CECAR/GrandRounds/Bios_Obj_11-12/Shiromani.htm