https://med.umn.edu/bio/department-of-neuroscience/yi-mei-yang
The Yang lab studies synapse physiology in neural networks. By understanding the functions of synaptic proteins and ion channels at the cellular, circuitry and system levels, her lab aims to identify novel targets and further develop therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, and to further our understanding of stress responses.
Using various mouse models to simulate the complex etiology of autism, the Yang lab investigates the mechanisms underlying the cerebellum pathology associated with this disorder. By manipulating the excitability of cerebellar neurons, they ask how dysfunction of the cerebellum affects brain circuits and contributes to the autistic phenotype. Similarly, the Yang lab uses a variety of techniques to gain insight into how stress impacts the cerebellum, and how the cerebellum contributes to stress responses.
