Principal Investigator
Robert Liu
robert [dot] liu [at] emory [dot] edu
I am a neuroscientist with a physics background, working at the intersection of the fields of sensory neuroethology and social neuroscience. I transitioned into neuroscience as a postdoc, working with systems neuroscientists at the University of California, San Francisco’s Sloan-Swartz Center for Theoretical Neurobiology. After initially studying the visual system, I began a program to explore how neurons in the auditory system encode behaviorally relevant sounds, using a mouse model of acoustic communication. This work has now expanded into a general interest in neural plasticity and processing in social communication contexts. Through collaborations at Emory, our research now explores how social information processing and reward are regulated in both a mouse model of maternal recognition of pup calls and a vole model of socially monogamous bonding, using a mix of physiological, behavioral and computational methods.
Post Docs
Kai Lu
kai [dot] lu [at] emory [dot] edu
My research interests are statistical learning, cognition in free running animals, and neurophysiology of large-scale brain network.
Megan Warren
megan [dot] r [dot] warren [at] emory [dot] edu
My interests include determining how these sounds are used across the experience of pair bonding, as well as whether the oxytocin system is involved in the neural processing of these signals.
Shang Lin (Tommy) Lee
Undergraduate Students
Caroline Bowen
Riyah Dugar
Maya Costello
Staff
Past members:
- Kelvin Wong (Postbac) – Graduate Student, Harvard University
- Jenny Zha (Undergraduate researcher) – Master of Public Health, Columbia University
- Lin Zhao (Undergraduate researcher) – Postbac, UT Austin
- Max Cao (Undergraduate researcher) – Graduate Student, Emory University
- Hong Zhu (Postdoc 2023) – Assistant Professor, Nanjing Medical University
- Sena Agezo (Emory NS 2023) – Portfolio Strategist, D.E. Shaw
- Dakshitha Bashettyhalli Anandakumar (GT BME 2021) – Microsoft Bing
- Janhavi Belwalkar (Undergraduate researcher)
- Rahil Mahmood (Undergraduate researcher) – Trinity College Dublin Medical School
- Teresa Shi (Undergraduate researcher) – Graduate Student, Princeton Biostatistics
- Molly Han (Undergraduate researcher)
- Audrey Lu (Undergraduate researcher)
- Amélie Borie (Postdoc 2021) – Clinical Trial Manager, Medpace
- Cristina Besosa (Postbac) – Graduate student, University of Florida
- Drayson Campbell (Undergraduate researcher) – Ohio State University Medical School
- Danial Arslan (Undergraduate researcher) – Medical School
- Dori Kacoh (Undergraduate researcher) – Medical School
- Amielle Moreno (Emory NS 2019) – Science Communicator, Speak The Science LLC
- Alex Dunlap (GT BioE 2019) – Mathematician, Boeing
- Kelly Chong (GT/Emory BME 2018) – Chief Operating Officer, Game Press
- Matthew Tucker (Undergraduate researcher) –
- Tamara Ivanova (Postdoc 2017)
- Liz Ann Amadei (GT BME 2017) – Postdoc, ETH Zurich
- Wittney Mays (Postbac) – Georgia State Bioinformatics Graduate Program
- Aaron Shpiner (Undergraduate researcer) – Tufts Medical School
- Katy Shepard (Emory NS 2014) – Genes in Space Program Lead, miniPCR bio
- Rudolph Chip Mappus (Postdoc 2014) – Data Insights Director, AT&T
- Alonzo Whyte (Postbac) – Academic Professional, Georgia Tech
- Ankita Gumaste (Undergraduate researcher) – Yale Neuroscience Graduate Program
- Frank Lin (GT BioE 2012) – Senior Manager of Data Science, Northrop Grumman
- Zachary Aberman (Undergraduate researcher) – Florida International University Medical School
- Malan Kern
- Saket Kumar
- Mary Catherine Stoumbos
- Edgar Galindo-Leon (Postdoc 2010) – Physicist, Universitaetsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf
- Tatsuya Oishi (Undergraduate researcher)
- Imke Kirste
- Andrew Matthews
- Jason Miranda (Postdoc 2009) – Galvani Bioelectronics
- Ameya Save
- Stephen Brink
- Sara Freeman – UC Davis
- Brian Kocher – Microsoft Senior Program Manager
- Steven Sangha (Undergrad researcher) –
- Yongkui Zhang (Postdoc 2006) – Southeast University (China) Assistant Professor
- Huey Huynh (Undergrad researcher) – Mercer Medical School
Open Positions
Research Specialist Position in the Computational Neuroethology Laboratory
The Computational Neuroethology lab at Emory University seeks a research-oriented post-baccalaureate fellow to assist with experiments using rodents to study how the brain processes and learns social sensory information. We will train the fellow to perform rodent surgeries and histology, and conduct behavioral studies as well as optogenetic stimulation and electrophysiological recordings in awake mice and prairie voles, working with graduate students, postdocs and the principal investigator. Potential areas for individual growth and development include learning about social neuroscience research, better experimental design and computational analyses of data; contributions can merit inclusion on publications. A commitment of 2+ years is preferred. The ideal candidate would be excited to work in a neuroscience lab and learn new techniques; hold a bachelors in a neuroscience, biological, physical sciences or engineering field; and have an interest in the research of motivated behaviors and/or sensory neuroscience. We especially encourage candidate who can demonstrate good organizational and time management skills, with ability to multitask; good problem-solving skills; patience and attention to detail in carrying out experimental protocols; and some proficiency with computers, ideally with some programming skills (e.g. MATLAB, Python). Work experience with rodents and aseptic surgical procedures are a bonus.
To see further details and apply, please go to https://staff-emory.icims.com/jobs/128083/research-specialist%2c-biology—emory-college-of-arts-and-sciences/job?mode=view&mobile=true&width=390&height=656&bga=true&needsRedirect=false&jan1offset=-300&jun1offset=-240
Postdoctoral Position in Computational and Systems Neuroscience
Department of Biology and Yerkes National Primate Research Center
The laboratories of Robert Liu, Gordon Berman and Larry Young at Emory University are accepting applications for a computationally oriented postdoctoral scientist to work in a collaborative team with experimentalists to analyze and model behavioral and neural data from studies of social/sensory information processing and learning in rodents. The research combines recent advances in computational ethology (Berman et al, Interface, 2014; Cande et al, eLife, 2018) with in vivo physiology and optogenetics to elucidate dynamic neural mechanisms mediating natural pro-social behaviors in prairie voles (Amadei, Johnson et al, Nature, 2017; Lim et al, Nature, 2004), and mice (Galindo-Leon, Lin et al, Neuron, 2009; Chong et al, Journal of Neuroscience, 2020). PhD required. We are looking for a systems-oriented candidate with advanced analysis and/or modeling experience with neural data, who is interested in applying her/his skills to the neuroscience of social behavior.
Emory University and the Yerkes National Primate Research Center have a rich, collaborative neuroscience community (http://biomed.emory.edu/PROGRAM_SITES/NS/), especially in the areas of translational social neuroscience (http://ctsn.emory.edu/) and computational neuroscience (http://livingtheory.emory.edu/index.html). Research at Emory in the neurobiology of social behavior extends across many labs from the molecular level through the organismal level in animal models and humans, with a particular interest in the functions of oxytocin (http://www.oxytocin.emory.edu/). Ongoing efforts include both elucidating normal processes and ameliorating deficits found in human conditions, like autism spectrum disorder.
To inquire or apply, please email robert [dot] liu [at] emory [dot] edu. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Applications should include a CV, the names and full contact information of 3 references, and at least one representative publication. Emory University is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.
References:
Amadei EA*, Johnson ZV*, Kwon YJ, Shpiner AC, Saravanan V, Mays W, Ryan S, Walum H, Rainnie D, Young LJ, Liu RC (2017). Dynamic corticostriatal activity biases social bonding in monogamous female prairie voles, Nature, 546(7657):297-301. doi:10.1038/nature22381
Berman GJ, Choi DM, Bialek W, Shaevitz JW (2014). Mapping the stereotyped behaviour of freely moving fruit flies. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 11(99):20140672. doi:10.1098/rsif.2014.0672
Cande J, Namiki S, Qiu J, Korff W, Card G, Shaevitz J, Stern D, Berman G (2018). Optogenetic dissection of descending behavioral control in Drosophila eLife 7: e34275. doi:10.7554/elife.34275
Chong KK, Anandakumar DB, Dunlap AG, Kacsoh DB, Liu RC (2020). Experience-dependent coding of time-dependent frequency trajectories by “Off” responses in secondary auditory cortex. Journal of Neuroscience (in press) doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2665-19.2020
Galindo-Leon EE*, Lin FG*, Liu RC (2009). Inhibitory plasticity in a lateral band improves cortical detection of natural vocalizations. Neuron 62:705-716. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2009.05.001
Lim, MM, Wang Z, Olazábal DE, Ren X, Terwilliger EF, Young LJ (2004). Enhanced partner preference in promiscuous species by manipulating the expression of a single gene. Nature, 429(6993):754-757. doi:10.1038/nature02539