Student Resources | Faculty, Postdoc, & Staff Resources
Search for:
Login

Posts classified under: H

HomeUCLA Brain Research Institute (BRI)  > People  > Alphabetical  > H
Weizhe Hong, Ph.D.

Weizhe Hong, Ph.D.

Biography

The Hong Lab employs a multidisciplinary approach to identify the molecular and neural circuit mechanisms underlying normal social behaviors as well as their dysregulations in neuropsychiatric disorders. Social behaviors are essential for the survival and reproduction of animals. The control of social behavior is of particular importance in social species such as humans. Abnormalities in social behaviors are associated with several neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.  Despite its importance, many fundamental questions regarding social behavior and its disorders still remain unanswered. We aim to understand how social behavior is regulated at the molecular and circuit level and how social behavior and social experience lead to molecular and circuit level changes in the brain.

We study these questions across molecular, circuit, and behavioral levels, by linking genes to circuits to behaviors. To do that, we take a multi-disciplinary approach and utilize a variety of experimental and computational technologies, including but not limited to optogenetics/chemogenetics, in vivo/vitro calcium imaging and electrophysiology, various genetic and molecular biology techniques, systems approaches such as next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics, and engineering and computational approaches such as machine learning and computer vision.

Neil G. Harris, Ph.D.

Neil Harris, Ph.D.

Biography

Professor Harris directs NEIL lab with over 25 years of experience with rodent CNS injury models and in particular using MRI and PET to assess structure and function. He received his B.Sc. in Biology/Neuroscience from University of Portsmouth in 1988, and his Ph.D. in Physiology from King’s College London in 1991. Dr. Harris’s early focus of research addressed the question of optimal timing for intervention after the diagnosis of infantile hydrocephalus. Prior to joining University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Dr. Harris received training in multimodality imaging techniques, including PET, structural MRI, fMRI, DTI, and Glucose/blood-flow autoradiography at Kings college University of London, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, the Royal College of Surgeons unit of Biophysics in the Institute of Child Health, and University of Cambridge Department of Neurosurgery. Subsequently, Dr. Harris conducted studies to address forebrain ischemic stroke looking at the potential use of non-invasive biomarkers to determine salvageable areas of brain. The studies were cited amongst primary reported findings on biophysical mechanism of the change in water diffusion after stroke. Dr. Harris currently resides as Professor in Residence of UCLA Department of Neurosurgery where he primarily conducts investigations on Traumatic Brain Injury and is the scientific director of UCLA 7T animal imaging core.

Larry F. Hoffman, Ph.D.

Larry Hoffman, Ph.D.

Biography

Clinical Interests: Clinical Neurophysiology Research Interests: Vestibular Neuroscience Dr. Hoffman’s research is conducted under the auspice of the National Multipurpose Research and Training Center for vestibular neuroscience from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). It is devoted to improving the understanding of how information regarding head movements, resulting from transduction mechanisms of the vestibular receptors within the inner ear, is encoded, distributed, and utilized within the central nervous system (CNS). Currently, these investigations are focused upon the neurophysiologic and neuroanatomic organization of vestibular primary afferent neurons, the cells providing the communication between the peripheral vestibular receptors and the CNS. Considerable effort is also devoted to the pathophysiology of these neurons in models of nerve regeneration, ototoxicity, and regeneration of the sensory epithelium. Additionally, current research includes investigations of the anatomy and cell biology of efferent vestibular neurons (cells that provide communication from the CNS back to the peripheral vestibular receptors). Dr. Hoffman is very active in teaching and supervising projects of research trainees at various levels including undergraduate, graduate, medical, postdoctoral, and resident students. His administrative activities include the organization of the Division’s Basic Science curriculum, and assisting in the administration of the Division’s institutional training grant from the NIDCD.

1 2 3 4 5