Research

Specific research questions in the lab include:

• Proprioceptive sensory neurons are diverse. To what degree are signals from different types or different clusters of proprioceptors combined to form a composite representation of the body?

• How do proprioceptive circuits mediate complex, coordinated behaviors? In particular, how does proprioceptive information rapidly coordinate the movement of multiple legs so that animals can achieve stable landings?

• Animals vary in size, shape, muscle types, locomotor gaits, and environments. How do such variations impact the function and organization of proprioceptive circuits? How have proprioceptors co-evolved with limb structure? What are fundamental biomechanical properties that mediate the transformation of limb movement to proprioceptor signalling?