What is the biological basis for sleep, and how do neurons and molecules within the brain change during sleep:wake transition? How sleep impacts on memory at a cellular level? Which specific molecules or neurons contributes to sleep and memory impairments in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)? To answer these and other related questions, we study Drosophila melanogaster, as well as mice for further investigation. From a human health perspective, gaining a better understanding of underlying biological mechanisms of complex behaviors such as sleep and memory in Drosophila will provide intriguing insights which can be applied to the more complex mammalian brain. Research in our lab is therefore aim to elucidate the molecular and cellular processes that drive such plastic behaviors, and their roles in disease pathophysiology. The main focus of our research is the molecular and genetic basis of sleep and memory.

What is the biological basis for sleep, and how do neurons and molecules within the brain change during sleep:wake transition? How sleep impacts on memory at a cellular level? Which specific molecules or neurons contributes to sleep and memory impairments in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)? To answer these and other related questions, we study Drosophila melanogaster, as well as mice for further investigation. From a human health perspective, gaining a better understanding of underlying biological mechanisms of complex behaviors such as sleep and memory in Drosophila will provide intriguing insights which can be applied to the more complex mammalian brain. Research in our lab is therefore aim to elucidate the molecular and cellular processes that drive such plastic behaviors, and their roles in disease pathophysiology. The main focus of our research is the molecular and genetic basis of sleep and memory.