Boston University · BiologyChen Lab
Jerry L Chen · Boston, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Jerry L Chen's lab at Boston University focuses on understanding how the brain processes tactile information through circuits in the sensorimotor cortex. They study the connections between local and long-range neural circuits and how these circuits influence behavior, particularly in relation to tactile perception using a mouse model. Their innovative research combines advanced imaging techniques and molecular analysis to develop a comprehensive model of sensory processing in the brain.
cortical circuitstactile perceptionsensorimotor integrationneuroanatomytwo-photon microscopyspatial transcriptomicsneural dynamicsmouse modelscognitive function
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the local wiring diagram in primary somatosensory cortex for feature binding.
AIM 02Identify cell-type-specific circuit motifs that differentiate sensory and motor information.
AIM 03Determine the neural dynamics that support information flow between cortical areas during goal-directed behavior.
Skills the Lab Values
two-photon microscopyspatial transcriptomicsneuroanatomy analysisbehavioral assayscell-type specific analysisneural circuit modelingimmunohistochemistrydata analysis in MATLABanimal behavior experimentation
Output against the department
Publications49bottom 11% of dept.915th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations3.3kbottom 25% of dept.773rd 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.