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Dr Jennifer Sun
Lecturer
Institute of Ophthalmology
Faculty of Brain Sciences
- Joined UCL
- 15th Jul 2020
Research summary
Located at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, the Visual Plasticity Lab aims to answer how visual cortex integrates sensory and non-sensory modulatory information to regulate plasticity in the visual cortex. To this end, we apply computational, physiological, pharmacological and molecular manipulation, with imaging approaches to identify the underlying biological basis of visual cortical plasticity in the developing and adult rodent brain. In particular, we ask how these dynamic processes are regulated by sensory and neuromodulatory pathways across the brain, and how the neurons interact with local environment like interneurons and glial cells.
We envision productive interaction with researchers studying glia cells at IoO and greater UCL community to elucidate the role of neuron-glial interaction during visual cortical plasticity. We also anticipate working with bioengineers across the campus and clinicians at Moorfields Eye Hospital to understand how neuroplasticity differs in health and disease, and device novel mechanism-based therapies to promote vision recovery from aging, injury, and neurological disorders.
Biography
Dr Sun obtained PhD degree from University of Southern California, studying circuit computation and sensory cortical development. She completed her postdoc works with Drs Roger Nicoll and Michael Stryker, applying molecular techniques, electrophysiology, and 2-photon imaging to study the cellular and circuit mechanisms of neuroplasticity in developing and adult brain.
Dr Sun joined UCL as a Lecturer to lead the Visual Plasticity Lab based at Institute of Ophthalmology . The lab is interested in neuroplasticity in the visual systems, using a combination of genetic, phsyiological, and computational approaches to probe the interaction in the local circuit as well as crosstalk between different brain regions.