Our lab uses various approaches to dissect the neural circuitry responsible for producible intelligent visual behavior in primates.
1. Chemogenetic perturbation of brain areas with DREADDs-based approaches
Targeting all neurons 
Selectively targeting excitatory neurons 
Selectively targeting inhibitory neurons
2. Targeting specific projection pathways
We are testing intersectional DREADD-based strategies where injection of a retrograde Cre virus (RVdGL-4Cre) is taken up by axonal terminals located in area A and transported back to cell bodies in area B that projects to the area A. We then inject a local Cre-dependent DREADD virus (AAV8-hSyn-DIO-hM4Di-mCherry) in area B. Co-expression of these two viruses would in theory allow the selective (with some limits) activation/inactivation of neurons projecting from area B to area A (e.g. feedback projections). We have confirmed co-expression in one animal and are working to test functionality of this expression.
3. “Hemogenetic” imaging
