Richard Daniel Mooney
George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor for Research in Neurobiology
Overview
Our broad research goal is to understand the neural mechanisms by which experience guides learning, behavior, and perception. Our group explores the structure and function of sensorimotor circuits important to learned vocal communication in the songbird and to auditory-motor integration in the mouse. In the course of these explorations, my research group has developed a wide range of technical expertise in both avian and mouse models, including in vivo multiphoton neuronal imaging, chronic recording of neural activity in freely behaving animals, in vivo and in vitro intracellular recordings from identified neurons, and manipulation of neuronal activity using electrical, chemical and optogenetic methods. Our group also has extensive experience with viral transgenic methods to manipulate gene expression, including genes implicated in human neurological disorders. Together, these methods provide a broad technical approach to identify the neural circuit mechanisms important to vocal learning, auditory perception and communication.
Selected Grants
Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 2021 to 2026
Mechanisms for internally and externally guided sensorimotor learning awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2016 to 2026
Motor Modulation of Auditory Processing awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2020 to 2025
RNA-programmable cell type targeting and manipulation across vertebrate nervous systems awarded by National Institutes of Health (Co Investigator). 2021 to 2024
Neurobiology Training Program awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2019 to 2024
Corticostriatal contributions to motor exploration and reinforcement awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2020 to 2023
Using Genetic Tools to Dissect Neural Circuits for Social Communication awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2018 to 2023
The synaptic basis for social context specific auditory memory formation awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2020 to 2023
Circuit dynamics of predictive vocal suppression in auditory cortex awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2021 to 2022
Cortical Contribution to Innate Vocalizations awarded by European Molecular Biology Organization (Principal Investigator). 2020 to 2022
Pages
Singh Alvarado, Jonnathan, et al. “Neural dynamics underlying birdsong practice and performance.” Nature, vol. 599, no. 7886, Nov. 2021, pp. 635–39. Pubmed, doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04004-1. Full Text
Goffinet, Jack, et al. “Low-dimensional learned feature spaces quantify individual and group differences in vocal repertoires.” Elife, vol. 10, May 2021. Pubmed, doi:10.7554/eLife.67855. Full Text
Michael, Valerie, et al. “Circuit and synaptic organization of forebrain-to-midbrain pathways that promote and suppress vocalization.” Elife, vol. 9, Dec. 2020. Pubmed, doi:10.7554/eLife.63493. Full Text
Mooney, Richard, and Michael Brecht. “Editorial overview: Neurobiology of behavior.” Curr Opin Neurobiol, vol. 60, Feb. 2020, pp. iii–v. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.conb.2020.01.001. Full Text
Nieder, Andreas, and Richard Mooney. “The neurobiology of innate, volitional and learned vocalizations in mammals and birds.” Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, vol. 375, no. 1789, Jan. 2020, p. 20190054. Pubmed, doi:10.1098/rstb.2019.0054. Full Text
Kearney, Matthew Gene, et al. “Discrete Evaluative and Premotor Circuits Enable Vocal Learning in Songbirds.” Neuron, vol. 104, no. 3, Nov. 2019, pp. 559-575.e6. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2019.07.025. Full Text
Tschida, Katherine, et al. “A Specialized Neural Circuit Gates Social Vocalizations in the Mouse.” Neuron, vol. 103, no. 3, Aug. 2019, pp. 459-472.e4. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2019.05.025. Full Text
Tanaka, Masashi, et al. “A mesocortical dopamine circuit enables the cultural transmission of vocal behaviour.” Nature, vol. 563, no. 7729, Nov. 2018, pp. 117–20. Pubmed, doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0636-7. Full Text
Schneider, David M., et al. “A cortical filter that learns to suppress the acoustic consequences of movement.” Nature, vol. 561, no. 7723, Sept. 2018, pp. 391–95. Pubmed, doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0520-5. Full Text
Schneider, David M., and Richard Mooney. “How Movement Modulates Hearing.” Annu Rev Neurosci, vol. 41, July 2018, pp. 553–72. Pubmed, doi:10.1146/annurev-neuro-072116-031215. Full Text
Pages
Mooney, Richard, et al. Data from: A neural hub that coordinates learned and innate courtship behaviors. 20 July 2021. Manual, doi:10.7924/r4fq9z00b. Full Text