Neurosciences Seminar: Michael Yartsev - Neural mechanisms of natural spatial behavior in bats

Event Details:

Thursday, November 14, 2024
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Time
12:00pm to 1:00pm PST
Contacts
neuroscience@stanford.edu
Event Sponsor
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
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Headshot of Dr. Michael Yartsev

Join the speaker for coffee, cookies, and conversation before the talk, starting at 11:45am.

Neural mechanisms of natural spatial behavior in bats

Abstract 

Our lab seeks to understand the neural basis of natural spatial behaviors in mammals. To do so, we take a neuroethological approach that leverages the specialization of the bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) for 3D spatial movement and in particular, its ability to elegantly navigate at high spatial precision during high-speed flight and across different sensory conditions. In parallel, we pioneer a suite of cutting-edge technologies that make it possible to study the behavior and neural circuits in freely flying bats in ways not previously possible. In this talk, I will discuss findings addressing how the hippocampus represents spatial information during aerial navigation from single individuals to groups.

 

Michael Yartsev, Ph.D.

University of California, Berkeley

Michael completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biomedical engineering at the Ben-Gurion University in 2007, and received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Weizmann institute in the laboratory of Nachum Ulanovsky. He was subsequently a C.V. Starr fellow in neuroscience in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute where he completed a post-doc in the laboratory of Carlos Brody.  He is an HHMI Investigator and an Associate Professor at UC Berkeley with a joint appointment in the departments of Bioengineering and Neuroscience. Research in his laboratory utilizes the bat as model system to study the neural mechanisms of complex spatial, social and acoustic behaviors, with focus on the neural computations underlying spatial navigation, group sociality and vocal communication/learning.

Visit Lab Website View CV

Hosted by - Nathalie Paesler (Haroush Lab)

 

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About the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Seminar Series

The Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute seminar series brings together the Stanford neuroscience community to discuss cutting-edge, cross-disciplinary brain research, from biochemistry to behavior and beyond.

Topics include new discoveries in fundamental neurobiology; advances in human and translational neuroscience; insights from computational and theoretical neuroscience; and the development of novel research technologies and neuro-engineering breakthroughs.

Unless otherwise noted, seminars are held Thursdays at 12:00 noon PT.

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