Department of Biology
Department of Biology
UVA labs map the part of our brain that helps us select our path

UVA labs map the part of our brain that helps us select our path

UVA labs map the part of our brain that helps us select our path

Story by: Eric Williamson
UVA Today

The labs of University of Virginia professors Jianhua “JC” Cang and John N. Campbell have created the first comprehensive molecular atlas of the important brain region called the superior colliculus, which helps us direct our gaze toward objects and scenes of interest as we decide how to move through the world.

The new study, led by graduate student Yuanming Liu and postdoctoral fellow Elise Savier, appeared online Friday in the journal Neuron.

“Direction selectivity is a fascinating feature of the visual system that’s been studied for over 60 years, though the genetic basis for direction selectivity has been unclear,” said Campbell, an assistant professor of biology.

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Which way to turn? The superior colliculus can help you find points of interest. UVA recently mapped the vital midbrain component. (Illustration by Emily Faith Morgan, University Communications)