What We Do

Our lab investigates how the brain prioritizes survival behaviors, with a focus on adaptive food intake. We explore how neural circuits regulate energy balance, ensuring appropriate food consumption while integrating competing survival needs.

We study hypothalamic hunger circuits, uncovering how gut-brain pathways rapidly signal nutrient intake and how exercise alters neural activity. 

Beyond feeding, we examine how hunger influences other behaviors, such as pain perception. Our work demonstrates that hunger suppresses chronic pain via AgRP neurons releasing Neuropeptide Y (NPY) to inhibit pain-processing circuits.

By mapping, monitoring, and manipulating these neural pathways, we aim to uncover fundamental principles of brain function in a dynamic world—offering new insights into metabolism, behavior, and potential therapeutic targets.

Additionally, our research has identified a surprising role for the cerebellum in feeding control, revealing specific neurons that regulate meal size by predicting calorie intake.