Research Units

We develop methods for single-molecule imaging and analysis, and apply them to unravel the mechanisms by which the cellular plasma membrane perform signaling and synaptic transmission.

The human body is composed of ~37 trillion cells, all of which are surrounded by a plasma membrane. We aim to understand the relationship between plasma membrane damage and multiple pathophysiological processes including aging.

Memory Research Unit aims to know how memories are formed and used in the brain. However, the hippocampal contribution remains unclear. Our goal is to understand its role in memory.

Micro/Bio/Nanofluidic Unit develops lab-on-a-chip devices to probe fluid flows and discover new flow phenomena in microscopic worlds, with applications in biotechnology.

Our unit focuses on understanding how environmental changes impact soil microbes, particularly those that are symbiotic with or pathogenic to plants, and drive biogeochemical cycling.

The Model-Based Evolutionary Genomics Unit works at the crossroads of computational and evolutionary biology. Our long-term goal is to achieve an integrative understanding of the evolution of Life on Earth and the origins and emergence of complexity across different biological scales, from individual proteins to ecosystems. To move towards this goal, we develop and apply model-driven evolutionary genomics methods to reconstruct the Tree of Life and the major evolutionary transitions that have occurred along its branches.

The Molecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy Unit investigates the structure of macromolecular complexes with an emphasis on viruses, ion channels, and membrane proteins. The unit seeks better und...

Work in the Molecular Genetics Unit combines comparative genomics, population genetic modeling, and genetic mapping. The unit uses new approaches for sequencing and analyzing genomes to inve...

The Molecular Neuroscience Unit investigates the mechanisms and consequences of the transport of information from the neuronal periphery to the center in health and disease.

The ambition of NetQ, the Networked Quantum Devices unit, is to develop the necessary theoretical tools such as novel error correction mechanisms, cryptographic protocols, and simulation alg...

Neural Circuit Unit studies motor circuits using various techniques such as molecular biology, mouse genetics, trans-synaptic viruses, optogenetic, and chemogenetic tools.

Cognitive functions of the brain, such as sensory perception, learning and memory, and decision-making emerge from computations by neural networks. The advantages of biological neural comput...

The Neural Computation Unit develops algorithms that elucidate the brain’s mechanisms for robust and flexible learning. The unit focuses on how the brain processes reinforcement learning, in...

The goal of the Neurobiology Research Unit is to understand neural mechanisms of learning in the brain. The unit studies physical changes that take place in synapses due to learning experien...

Songbirds learn to sing by communicating with adults as humans learn to speak during developmental ’critical period’. We explore how the brain is shaped with experiences during development.

How are temporal sequences of brain activity transformed into physical body movements? Seeking answers within the neuronal rhythms of the olivo-cerebellar circuits using the coolest tools.

We work in experimental nonlinear, non-equilibrium and soft matter physics. Our current research focuses on fluids, granular media, fluctuations in renewables and quantitative life sciences.

Nucleic acids DNA and RNA are fundamental building blocks of life. These biomolecules display remarkable chemical functions such as information storage, catalysis, and molecular recognition....