Jose Esquivelzeta

Orienting our sensory organs and attending to new stimuli in our environment is a fundamental reflex to ensure our survival. My goal is to understand what part of the olfactory pathway is involved in detecting new stimuli and sending a signal to other parts of the brain (midbrain and brainstem structures) to generate orienting behaviors. I focus on the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) since we previously showed it is a crucial player in odor source localization and orienting nose movements.

In combination with a behavioral task, I use viral and pharmacological tools to label and manipulate AON circuits to midbrain and brainstem areas and determine their participation in orienting behaviors.

I am always happy to hear new ideas and discuss my own so feel free to contact me by email or social media.