We investigate how the immune system and gut microbiota influence brain function and behavior. We use molecular, behavioral, anatomical, and immunological approaches in the lab. In parallel, we collaborate with clinical groups to examine the role of inflammatory and gut-brain mediators in psychiatric illness.

The Foster Lab research program represents a “best in class” translational research approach in an enriched, multidisciplinary environment. Foster's academic activities include a strong translational research program, a comprehensive teaching portfolio, science outreach, contribution to local, national, and international peer review and knowledge translation.

We are interested in the circuit mechanisms of how the cerebellum helps the brain to work better in health and disease.

Our lab focuses on investigating the brain circuits implicated in treatment resistant depression with the ultimate goal of developing novel therapies for this devastating disease.

Ascending somatosensory circuitry that shapes the perception of touch and pain. We study the development, function and dysfunction of ascending somatosensory pathways.

The focus of the Obata Lab is to study how environmental signals (e.g., microbiota, diet, day/night cycles) shape intestinal neural circuits and immune cell networks. A variety of experimental techniques are used, including state-of-the-art imaging technologies, viral tracing of gut innervation, in vivo and ex vivo physiological assays, gnotobiotic systems and multi-omics technologies. The Obata lab is also interested in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of inter-organ communication, including the Gut-Brain axis.

We investigate the neuro-hormonal basis for complex eating behaviors and blood glucose control, with the ultimate goal of designing new methods to prevent and treat extremes of body weight, blood glucose, and associated disorders of mood and metabolism.

We are interested in understanding at a cellular level the neural control of energy balance and glucose metabolism, and elucidating how these events may participate in human disease.

We investigate the mechanism of neurotransmitter release using a variety of biophysical approaches, including NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, molecular dynamics simulations and liposome fusion assays.

The Pool Lab studies neural circuits that provide a sense of purpose and direction to animal behavior and develops targeted gene therapies to re-engineer their function.

The N-LAB's mission is to develop novel neuroimaging and neuroengineering methods to integrate molecular and system neuroscience and solve brain science problems.