Harvard University · BiologyHarvey Lab
Christopher D Harvey · Cambridge, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Christopher D. Harvey's lab at Harvard Medical School focuses on understanding how the brain processes spatial navigation and decision-making, critical functions that can be impaired in diseases like Alzheimer's. The lab investigates the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), a brain region involved in these processes, by exploring its connectivity, the roles of different neuron types, and how these elements change during learning. This research aims to provide insights into the neuronal mechanisms that underpin cognitive functions and their disruptions in neurodegenerative conditions.
spatial navigationdecision-makingposterior parietal cortexoptogeneticsneural connectivity
Research Aims
3AIM 01Map the effective connectivity of neurons in the PPC during navigation tasks using optogenetics.
AIM 02Study the role of inhibitory neurons in computing navigation decisions.
AIM 03Investigate molecular plasticity mechanisms during navigational learning and their effects on neural connectivity.
Skills the Lab Values
optogeneticscellular resolution mappingneuron characterizationmolecular biologyvirtual reality experimentation
Output against the department
Publications96bottom 33% of dept.685th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations11ktop 34% of dept.348th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.