Computation between posterior parietal cortex and its higher order thalamic target during multisensory processing and conflict

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My project involves imaging corticothalamic projection from the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) to its higher-order thalamic nucleus during a multisensory behavioral task. I used a specific Cre-mouse to target layer 6 corticothalamic projections. I found that layer 6 corticothalamic makes sub-additive sensory computation when integrating multisensory signals with many cells showing multiplexed sensory and motor information coding. Currently, I am continuing to image, manipulate, and analyze corticothalamic activity during the task. In addition, I developed a novel behavioral task to study discrete tongue kinematics during interception-like behavior. Using pharmacological inactivation experiments I found that the cerebellum and PPC are necessary for successful execution of such behavior. As the new behavioral paradigm requires less training time this will allow me to image the changes across different stages of learning. I am currently using two photon in-vivo imaging and optogenetics to precisely control the timing of inactivation during the behavior task. I submitted one paper as a coauthor where I used my two-photon imaging analysis pipeline and presented my novel behavioral paradigm in one of the conferences.