Modulating cortical inhibitory networks to improve stroke recovery

The overarching goal of this project is to identify new targets for neural circuit modulation to facilitate motor recovery after stroke. To accomplish this, I propose to identify how dynamics in a specific inhibitory cell network participates in motor learning, investigate how these dynamics are disrupted by stroke, and test whether their modulation can improve recovery. Completion of this project will provide me with opportunities to fill key gaps in my current skillset and equip me to launch an independent research program in the neurophysiology of recovery. I have carefully designed a career development program to address these training gaps through a combination of hands-on experimentation, coursework and didactics, and mentorship from an exemplary team of physician scientists at the San Francisco VA and UCSF. My mentorship team has a strong record of training and developing young investigators; together with the rich research environment at the San Francisco VA, I will be well-equipped to accomplish my outlined training goals. The results from these experiments will lead to publications and pave the way for many important lines of investigation I will pursue in my own laboratory.