Large field-of-view, single-cell-resolution two- and three-photon microscope for deep and wide imaging Research Background and Problem Statement Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) is a powerful tool for deep tissue imaging, especially in the study of brain function in vivo. However, while traditional two-photon microscopy (2PM) can achieve a larger imagi...

Functional Segregation of Dopaminergic Neural Circuits and Their Developmental Mechanisms Academic Background Dopamine is a crucial neurotransmitter in the brain, regulating various physiological functions, including motor control, emotional regulation, motivation, learning, and memory. Dopaminergic neurons are primarily located in the midbrain, an...

Academic Background In the mammalian neocortex, somatostatin (SST)-expressing neurons are a major class of inhibitory interneurons that exhibit diversity in electrophysiology and morphology, and are involved in various cognitive functions such as learning, memory, and sensory processing. However, despite extensive research on the diversity of SST n...

Neuropathic Changes in Pancreatic Cancer Academic Background Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers today, characterized by late diagnosis and high aggressiveness. Despite some progress in diagnosis and treatment in recent years, the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer remains extremely low, at only around 12%. The pathogenes...

Academic Background Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) is a group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases characterized primarily by behavioral changes, language impairment, or motor dysfunction. Although the incidence of FTD is lower than that of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), it remains one of the leading causes of early-onset dementia. The molecular bas...

Therapeutic Potential of ASO-Mediated MSH3 Suppression in Huntington’s Disease Academic Background Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by abnormal expansion of the CAG repeat sequence in the huntingtin gene (HTT). This expanded CAG repeat continues to expand somatically over time, driving the onset and progression of th...

Amyloid-Associated Hyperconnectivity Drives Tau Spread in Alzheimer’s Disease Academic Background Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and the abnormal aggregation and spread of tau protein in the brain. The traditional “amyloid cascade hypothesis” posits that...

Mechanisms and Therapeutic Exploration of Early Sleep Abnormalities in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Academic Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons, leading to progressive muscle weakness and respiratory failure. Although the primary symptoms ...

GNAO1 (G protein alpha subunit O1) gene mutations are considered one of the primary causes of severe pediatric encephalopathy. This encephalopathy typically manifests as epilepsy, movement disorders, developmental delay, and intellectual disability, with limited effectiveness of current treatments. The GαO protein encoded by the GNAO1 gene is a key...

Neural Dynamics of Time Perception in the Ventral Premotor Cortex Academic Background Time perception is one of the central questions in neuroscience, particularly how the brain encodes time information as cognitive demands change. Time can be categorized as “long” or “short,” or it can be precisely represented as continuous intervals. The ventral ...