Dr. Alex Kwan

Biography

Alex Kwan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, with a prior appointment in the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University. His academic journey began at Simon Fraser University, where he received his B.A.Sc. in Engineering Physics. He then pursued his graduate studies at Cornell University, earning both his Master’s and Ph.D. in Applied Physics. Dr. Kwan’s research focuses on the mouse medial frontal cortex, particularly dendritic plasticity and its role in the actions of psychiatric drugs and decision-making processes. His laboratory utilizes advanced optical methods to record and control neural activity in behaving mice. Notably, he has collaborated with renowned researchers and has made significant contributions to the understanding of cortical circuits, particularly in the context of flexible behavior. His research interests span antidepressive agents, decision-making, electrophysiology, dendrites, and optogenetics, with a dedicated focus on the prefrontal cortex.

Research Interests

Experience