Antonio Nunez, PhD

Professor Nunez is the principal investigator at the Nunez Lab at Michigan State University, where he studies neural and endocrine control of circadian rhythms in mammals.

The lab aims to understand the neural pathways through which light influences function of the hippocampus – a brain region critical for learning and memory. To this end, they have been using Nile grass rats as a model organisms to test the impacts of different ambient light conditions on learning and memory. A major advantage of these rodents specifically as models is that they are diurnal - meaning that they are awake during daylight hours like humans.