Yu Wei Wu MD, PhD

Dr. Yu-Wei Wu, MD, Ph.D. interested in the neural circuits for motor control and how it is affected under the progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Currently, Yu-Wei focuses on dissecting the role of the striatal neurons in integrating information from other brain areas, which are highly altered in PD and many other movement disorders. By incorporating various tools and state-of-the-art approaches, such as two-photon imaging/uncaging, patch-clamp electrophysiology, optogenetic manipulation of neural circuits, and computational simulation. At some time, Yu-Wei developed new imaging technology for tracking subcellular neuronal activities and a new algorithm for analyzing the connectivity of neural networks. Yu-Wei to provide a comprehensive view, in the neuronal circuitry level, of how motor control is achieved and what goes wrong during the pathophysiological changes in PD, so that potential new therapeutic targets will be discovered to help PD patients.