Pegah Kassraian Fard

With a strong background in computational neurosciences acquired during my training at ETH Zurich, I combine experimental and analytical work in the Siegelbaum lab to assess the cortico-hippocampal circuit mechanisms of adaptive social behaviors. Specifically, I am interested in the memory-related mechanisms and computations underlying the encoding and recall of aversive social experiences. Based on a 'social memory hypothesis' of social fear, I investigate how disruption of such mechanisms can lead to generalized social avoidance, as observed in neuropsychiatric disorders such as social anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, or schizophrenia. My research relies on a multidisciplinary approach where I use social fear and social memory assays, manipulation and monitoring of genetically defined cell populations and projections and computational analysis and modelling of social and other variables.

Github: https://github.com/PegahKa