Research Outline

How does genetic background shape our individuality through interactions with the environment? The neuromolecular mechanisms of individuality are still poorly understood.
Driven by this fundamental interest, I focus on species- and individual-level diversity in vocal learning in songbirds. Across more than 5,000 species, song patterns and learning tendencies differ, and even individual birds develop slightly different songs—even when they share the same tutor with conspecifics.
During my PhD, I conducted behavioral experiments on songbirds using an artificially controlled song tutoring environment, and performed transcriptome analyses of the song system—the neural circuit responsible for song learning and production.
I am currently highly motivated to acquire new skills such as electrophysiology, neuroimaging, optogenetics, and gene manipulation using viral vectors, in order to further explore the link between transcriptomic signatures and neural activity underlying species- and individual-level diversity in complex learned behaviors.