Dr. Maunsell Lab

Biography

The Maunsell Lab at the University of Chicago focuses on studying the brain mechanisms underlying vision, perception, and attention. The research aims to understand how the visual world is represented in the brain, particularly focusing on how neuronal signals in the cerebral cortex change when attention shifts, making some sensory representations more important than others. The long-term goal of the lab is to uncover the brain mechanisms that permit access to specific subsets of sensory representations necessary for completing tasks. To achieve this, the lab employs a wide range of methods including molecular, electrophysiological, optical, and behavioral approaches. Experiments train animals to perform complex visual tasks while monitoring activity in groups of individual cells within the brain. This allows for a thorough analysis of how individual cells contribute to task performance. Moreover, the lab conducts experiments that involve inserting signals directly into the brain in order to learn patterns of brain activity that can be used to guide behavior.

Research Interests

Experience