Dynamic properties of neural circuits in the forebrain

The Crandall Laboratory at Michigan State University is seeking to advance understanding of the dynamic properties of neural circuits in the mammalian forebrain by integrating electrophysiological and optogenetic approaches. The lab’s research program focuses on how long-range cortical feedback projections shape information processing within the sensory cortex and thalamus. To address these questions, the group employs complementary experimental preparations, including acute brain slice physiology for detailed circuit and synaptic analysis and recordings in awake, behaving animals to connect cellular- and circuit-level mechanisms to naturalistic neural activity during behavior. The laboratory’s recent peer-reviewed contributions — including publications cited from J. Neurosci., Cerebral Cortex, Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, Cell Reports, and Neuron — reflect a sustained program of work on cortical and thalamic circuit organization and function.

Investigators in the Crandall Lab prioritize experimental combinations that allow causal manipulation of targeted pathways together with high-resolution measurement of neural activity. Specifically, the integration of optogenetics with in vivo electrophysiology is used to selectively activate or inhibit long-range cortical feedback and to observe resulting changes in sensory cortical and thalamic dynamics. These approaches enable dissection of pathway-specific influences on signal propagation, timing, gain control, and state-dependent modulation of neural responses. Work in acute slices complements in vivo studies by permitting targeted interrogation of synaptic mechanisms, connectivity motifs, and intrinsic membrane properties that underlie observed network phenomena.

Situated within the Department of Physiology and the Neuroscience Program at Michigan State University, the Crandall Lab operates in a multidisciplinary environment that emphasizes fundamental discovery about brain function. The research program supports training and collaboration across faculty and students from diverse areas of neuroscience. Prospective postdoctoral researchers are expected to bring or develop expertise in electrophysiology, with strong interest in combining these skills with optogenetic methods in the mouse brain. The lab emphasizes rigorous experimental design and the translation of mechanistic insights from cellular preparations to awake, behaving systems.