University of Southern California · PhysiologyAuditory Processing Lab
Li I Zhang · Los Angeles, California
Research Focus
Dr. Li I Zhang's lab at the University of Southern California studies how different parts of the brain process sound. They investigate the inferior colliculus, a key area for hearing, to uncover how various types of brain cells contribute to our ability to perceive and localize sounds. Their research could improve our understanding of hearing disorders and help develop better treatments.
auditory processinginferior colliculusstriatumcell-type specificityneuropsychiatric disorderselectrophysiologytransgenic modelsRNA sequencingoptogeneticssensory integration
Research Aims
5AIM 01Identify molecular markers for different neuron types in the inferior colliculus.
AIM 02Characterize the functional roles of distinct neuronal populations in auditory processing.
AIM 03Investigate how the striatum integrates auditory information for behavior.
AIM 04Explore the connections between the inferior colliculus and the striatum.
AIM 05Understand the implications of auditory processing mechanisms for hearing disorders.
Skills the Lab Values
single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNAseq)electrophysiologymouse modelsoptogeneticsviral tracing techniquesanatomical mappingcalcium imagingtransgenic organism handlingbehavioral assaysbioinformatics data analysis
Output against the department
Publications99bottom 28% of dept.204th of 286
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations11ktop 28% of dept.81st of 286
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.