Memory Binding in the Mammalian Hippocampus

项目摘要：本提案的总体目标是为PI作为独立研究员的职业生涯做好准备。 科学家通过追求一个严格的研究项目，这将使PI成功地竞争未来 科研经费该项目的第一阶段（K99）是在一位领导人的指导下进行的， 记忆研究领域的专家霍华德·艾肯鲍姆博士该项目的下一个（ROD）阶段将是 由PI作为埃默里大学的独立科学家进行。研究项目的科学目标 是为了了解海马和海马旁区的回路， 空间和非空间信息在陈述性记忆服务。该项目利用了 候选人在记忆研究方面的广泛经验，包括大鼠的电生理学研究， 对健忘症患者的研究在项目的指导阶段，PI获得了以下方面的基本培训： 先进的记录技术，计算建模，授权写作和实验室管理技能。 该项目已经帮助PI实现了他的近期目标（确保终身就业 在一所主要的研究型大学），并承诺帮助实现他的长期目标（建立一个计划， 尖端的记忆研究，包括在人类和实验动物的工作）。 相关性：海马体记忆系统支持对个人事件和知识的记忆， 世界，提供对心理健康至关重要的自我意识。针对海马体的疾病 是普遍的（例如，老年痴呆症，阿尔茨海默病），以及有关的基本功能， 健康海马记忆系统对于理解记忆障碍是至关重要的。

Project Summary: The overall goal of this proposal is to prepare the PI for a career as an independent scientist by pursuing a rigorous research project that will allow the PI to compete successfully for future research funding. The initial (K99) phase of the project was conducted under the mentorship of a leader in the field of memory research, Dr. Howard Eichenbaum. The next (ROD) phase of the project will be conducted by PI as an independent scientist at Emory University. The scientific goal of the research project is to understand the circuitry in the hippocampal and parahippocampal regions that supports binding of spatial and nonspatial information in the service of declarative memory. The project takes advantage of the candidate's broad experience in memory research and includes electrophysiological studies in rats and studies with amnesic patients. During the mentored phase of the project, the PI acquired essential training in advanced recording techniques, computational modeling, grant writing, and laboratory management skills. The project has already assisted the PI in reaching his immediate goals (securing tenure-track employment at a major research university) and promises to aid in reaching his long-term goals (establish a program of cutting-edge memory research that includes work in both humans and experimental animals). Relevance: The hippocampal memory system supports memory for personal events and knowledge about the world, providing a sense of self that is essential to mental health. Diseases that target the hippocampus are prevalent (e.g., dementia, Alzheimer's disease), and knowledge about the fundamental function of the healthy hippocampal memory system will be crucial for understanding memory disorders.