Brain Evolution

The brain has evolved to coordinate many complex behaviors, We are exploring how species across a wide diversity of taxa developed the motor circuits involved in vocal learning. By using a wide array of imaging and next generation sequencing technologies, we are characterizing cell type homologies across vertebrate brains ranging from reptiles to mammals. By identifying the molecular identity of cell types across these species, we can determine the ways in which different cell types interact to form the circuits underlying complex behaviors. These interactions can then be compared across species to identify the genetic underpinnings of brain development.