How are the neural circuits that process sensory information built during the course of development? As the development of a circuit inevitably constrains its future function, addressing this question is critical to understanding both the function of mature circuits and how neurodevelopmental disorders give rise to sensory deficits.
The Smith Lab uses advanced optical imaging techniques across multiple cortical areas to investigate how large populations of neurons form the networks required to process information. We are currently investigating the circuit mechanisms that give rise to these large-scale distributed networks and are seeking to determine whether a universal set of rules governs the maturation of functional networks throughout the neocortex. In addition, we are using cutting edge optogenetic approaches at the millimeter and cellular scale to explore the causal role of early patterned network activity in visual processing, and are examining whether abnormal spontaneous activity in early development is a common theme linking neurodevelopmental disorders.
Our experimental research is conducted in close integration with theoretical and computational modelling, allowing us to generate and then test specific predictions of cortical network development.
