Takehara Lab
Team
Kaori Takehara-Nishiuchi, Ph.D.
Professor
Principal Investigator
Dr. Kaori Takehara‑Nishiuchi began her academic journey in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Tokyo, where she first developed an interest in understanding how the brain forms and stores memories. During this time, she worked with Dr. Yutaka Kirino, whose mentorship inspired her to pursue research on the neural basis of memory. She continued her graduate training in the same laboratory, where she used behavioral and pharmacological approaches to demonstrate that the medial prefrontal cortex plays a key role in how memories become stable and long‑lasting. She later completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Arizona with Drs. Bruce L. McNaughton and Carol A. Barnes. There, she investigated how patterns of neuronal activity in the medial prefrontal cortex evolve over weeks of systems consolidation. In 2009, Dr. Takehara‑Nishiuchi joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto. Her research now focuses on understanding how patterns of brain activity build and use knowledge and how these processes are disrupted in memory disorders. Her work has been widely recognized and featured in scientific reviews, textbooks, and multiple research awards.
Yixiong Sun
Ph.D. student
Data Science Instiute Doctoral Student Fellow
Yixiong is a Ph.D. candidate studying the role of hippocampal ripple and neocortical spindle coupling on memory consolidation in Alzheimer's disease. He graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Science - Honours Computer Science and Biology. Throughout his undergraduate study, Yixiong has accumulated extensive experience in the software development industry and hopes to be able to apply his computer science skills in the field of neuroscience. Now as a part of the Takehara lab, Yixiong will learn and use a variety of neuroscience techniques, including electrophysiology with LFP, single neuron recordings, and electrical stimulation, behavioural experimentation, stereotaxic surgery, and time series analysis. In his free time, he tends to go on hikes, read, and play board games with his friends.
Silvia Margarian
Ph.D. student
I am a third-year PhD student in the psychology department specializing in a collaborative neuroscience program. My research seeks to uncover which long-range pathways become activated during transitive inference using the c-fos tracing approach in mice and determine whether the activated pathways are necessary for this cognitive process using optogenetic manipulations. Overall, my research will help us better understand the neuronal implementation of transitive inference, a core feature of intelligent behavior.
Yangzi Chen
Ph.D. student
As a first-year PhD student, my research interests range from exploring how neural representations enable efficient memory to employing multiple state-of-the-art tools to advance research (computational model, pharmacological and genetic methods). Currently, my project focuses on understanding the roles of different information coded in the lateral entorhinal cortex play in optimizing the network state for memory encoding and retrieval. Prior to UofT, I received my bachelor's degree in psychology from Peking University. In my undergraduate study, I worked on hippocampal decoding from maze learning paradigm. Besides neuroscience, I consume literature and especially enjoy reading sociology and politics. I also have a great passion when cooking and playing video games.
Zihe Chen
Ph.D. student
OGS Scholar
I am a first-year PhD student in the psychology department. The goal of my project is to understand how the lateral entorhinal cortex optimizes the hippocampal-neocortical network during memory encoding and retrieval. I aim to determine whether LEC inputs to the hippocampus (eg. CA1, DG) and neocortex (eg.mPFC) are crucial for the successful encoding and retrieval of cue and spatial learning memories. Before graduate school, I completed my bachelor’s degree at UofT, with a specialization in Neuroscience. Outside of the lab, I like music and photography.
Alessia Alicandro
M. Sc. student
OGS Scholar
I am a Masters student in the department of Cells and Systems Biology with a specialization from the Collaborative Program in Neuroscience. I am interested in the neural structures that are responsible for memory formation and retrieval, as well as the disruption of these processes, such as in Alzheimer’s Disease. My research project focuses on the anatomic pathways that are responsible for episodic memory. I aim to provide insight on the relationship between the lateral entorhinal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, and thalamic region. Before becoming a graduate student I completed a Bachelor of Medical Sciences at Western University. Outside of the laboratory, I like to read, spend time outdoors, and be with family and friends.
Jumana Waheed
Undergraduate student
UTEA Awardee
I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, pursuing a Psychology Specialist and Neuroscience Major. My research interests focus on the neural mechanisms of decision-making and how they contribute to pathological behaviours.
Interested in joining our team?
If you are interested in neuronal-network level mechanisms of how the brain encodes, stores, and retrieve memories, Takehara lab will be a great place to start and extend your research career. My research program offers the opportunity to learn cutting-edge electrophysiological, genetic, psychopharmacological, and behavioral conditioning techniques. I am looking forward to interacting with energetic students and solving mysteries of the brain together!
Postdoctoral fellows: If you are interested in the post-doctoral training in the Takehara laboratory, please send Prof. Takehara an email (kaori.nishiuchi@utoronto.ca) with your CV, a description of your past and future projects, and career goals.
Graduate students: The application should be sent directly to the Psychology Department at the University of Toronto. In your application, please specify Prof. Takehara-Nishiuchi as a faculty member with whom you are interested in working and describe why you are interested in the graduate-level training in the Takehara lab. Informal inquiries before the application deadline are encouraged. To be considered, you will need some experience in research, preferably in behavioural studies using rodents or data analysis with Matlab or Python.
Undergraduate thesis students: Because of the technically demanding nature of our research, I will accept independent project students or thesis students only if they have prior volunteering experience in my laboratory. Currently, the lab is at capacity. We are not accepting any new applications.
Undergraduate research assistants: Undergraduate research assistants work on existing projects under the supervision of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. This role requires a serious commitment, with availability for several days per week and multiple hours each day, totaling 10-12 hours per week, for a minimum of one year. The recruitment process begins in early March, when applications for summer research opportunities are reviewed. Selected students will receive intensive hands‑on research training by working closely with senior lab members and are expected to continue their involvement during the following academic year. While exceptional students may be able to begin research in the Fall or Winter semesters, availability during these terms is typically limited. Interested students should submit an application using this form. Candidates will be evaluated based on their research interests and academic performance, and prior animal handling experience is considered an asset. Please note that positions are highly competitive, with applications received daily during peak periods. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.