Dr. Minghong Ma

Biography

Minghong Ma is a Professor in the Neuroscience Department at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. His research expertise lies in understanding how the brain perceives and responds to sensory stimuli in the context of health and disease. His research integrates findings from studies using both animal models, primarily rodents, and human tissues. The olfactory system, which is critical for processing odor information, serves as a focal point of his research. This system allows rodents to utilize olfactory cues for behavior such as locating food and communicating with conspecifics. Ma's current interests include the neural network connections between the olfactory system and non-olfactory regions, the interaction between nasal signals and brain activity, and the role of sniffing in sensory salience. He also investigates the effects of clinically relevant drugs on neocortical and hippocampal neurons using acute brain slices. Ma employs various techniques including electrophysiology, fiber photometry, and optogenetics in his research, welcoming inquiries from prospective students and postdoctoral fellows interested in these areas.

Research Interests