Kohl lab State-Dependent Neural Processing Laboratory

We study how intricate neural circuits in the brain orchestrate behaviour.

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We are investigating how the state of the body shapes information processing in the brain.

The brain coordinates instinctive behaviours through evolutionarily sculpted neural circuits. These circuits do not work in isolation. Instead their function profoundly depends on an animal’s current physiological state, such as sleep or hunger. 

Little is known about the circuit-level mechanisms by which such internal states alter neural processing in the brain. We aim to address these questions using the mouse as a model. Mice have very robust and elaborate behaviours, and we can study their brains with a wide range of tools. 

We use a multidisciplinary approach, combining cutting-edge methods in circuit neuroscience, behavioural profiling, and molecular and cellular biology to investigate how signals from the rest of the body affect the brain. Studying these mechanisms will provide us with exciting insights into brain function in both health and disease.