About
Dr. Wu’s research focuses on unraveling the neural mechanisms that enable animals to perceive and share others’ emotional states (empathy) and respond with actions that improve others’ well-being (prosocial behavior). Her lab aims to (1) investigate the neural computations underlying prosocial interactions, (2) dissect the neural circuitry that functionally controls prosocial behavior, and (3) understand how prosocial processes may be perturbed in mouse models of psychiatric conditions, such as autism. To achieve these goals, Dr. Wu’s research integrates a variety of approaches, including single-cell transcriptomics, in vivo calcium imaging, functional manipulation, and machine learning.