If we live long enough, will our brains one day simply “max out” and run out of room, and if not, why not? Are memories formed and stored differently in the brain as we age? How does the way in which memories are linked over time affect what we remember? What role does sleep play in linking memories across time?

These are some of the captivating—and complex— questions about learning and memory that are being explored in Dr. Cai's lab. Her lab uses a multi-level approach integrating molecular, cellular, circuit-level, and behavioral techniques to investigate the dynamic nature of memory. The lab's primary research themes include memory capacity, temporal memory-linking, and sleep and memory. They are studying the strategies the brain uses to optimize its capacity for storage; how prior learning influences future behavior; and why emotions may alter memories while we sleep. Building and sharing novel tools and technologies to help answer these and evolving questions in neuroscience is an exciting part of the lab’s work. Dr. Cai is passionate about the open-source movement and committed to building a collaborative and generous neuroscience community.

Behavior, In Vivo Imaging, Learning & Memory, Cognitive Disorders, Hippocampus, Age-related Cognitive Deficits, Anxiety-related Disorders, Optogenetics, Chemogenetics, Activity-dependent Tagging, Open-Source, Miniscope