Team Leader

Decades of work have revealed rich neural representations of space and episodic memory in the hippocampus and neighboring cortices of mammals from rodents to humans, with provocative similarities and differences across brain regions and species. My research takes a multidisciplinary approach to better understand these representations and the functions they support, with a particular emphasis on bridging the gaps between brain regions, species, and levels of explanation. I have led and collaborated on projects leveraging a diverse range of techniques including in vivo electrophysiology in rodents, in vivo calcium imaging in rodents, chemogenetic circuit manipulations in rodents, behavior in both rodents and humans, functional magnetic resonance imaging in humans, and computational modeling with tests of the specific hypotheses generated by these models in both rodents and humans. While it is uncommon in our field for one’s work to cut across multiple techniques and species, continued advances have led to a mounting need for such work. Now as an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience, this need has become the foundational focus of my lab. 

Contact: atk@uic.edu

Biosketch (2023-07-18)

Google Scholar Profile

Graduate student (Joined June 2023)

I completed a BS in psychology with a minor in biology at UIC. Towards the end of my undergraduate degree I developed a strong fixation on the underlying computational and network dynamics of the brain. I am interested in taking a computational approach to modeling the role of the hippocampus in spatial navigation and memory. 

Personal website

Contact: specir2@uic.edu

Lab Manager (Joined September 2024)

Hi there! I am currently the lab manager for the Keinath Lab. I received my B.S. in neuroscience at UIC, where I became interested in the complexities of brain function and behavior. Here in the Keinath Lab, I am excited to gain new lab experience and become more familiar with the role of the hippocampus in spatial navigation. I look forward to furthering my knowledge and contributing to the lab's research! 

Contact: rbarr7@uic.edu

Undergraduate Research Assistant (Joined January 2024)

Hello! I am currently an undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in psychology with a minor in biology with an expected graduation date of Fall 2025. Over the course of my education, I have developed a strong fascination with the neural mechanisms and circuitry that drive behavior. Through my time in this lab, I’ve gained a strong foundational understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying spatial memory and navigation, as well as the contemporary techniques used to study them. The experience I’ve gained in this lab continues to shape my perspective as I build on it in my current research and further explore the field of behavioral neuroscience. 

Contact: dgreen43@uic.edu

Undergraduate Research Assistant (Joined 2025)

Hello! My name is Michael Kim, and I am an undergraduate Neuroscience major with a Philosophy minor at the University of Illinois Chicago, with an expected graduation date of Spring 2027. I am deeply interested in neurobiological systems and the computational methods used to understand the relationship between the brain and behaviors related to spatial navigation and memory. Working in the Keinath Lab has given me the amazing opportunity to engage with and learn from high-level neuroscience research. In my free time, I like to play tennis and indulge in an occasional Netflix K-drama.

(Fun fact: “Mike Kim” backwards is “Mike Kim”.) 

(2025-2026 CURA Awardee)

Contact: mkim1224@uic.edu

Undergraduate Research Assistant (Joined 2025)

Hi! I'm a third year Neuroscience major and English minor at UIC with an expected graduation date of Fall 2026. My overarching goal is to conduct research in cognitive / behavioral neuroscience that expands the field of human psychology. I'm still working through my varied interests to find something to focus on, but my time at Keinath Lab has been wonderfully informative! I'm excited to continue working in the lab and furthering my understanding of spatial navigation in the hippocampus. In my free time, I love to read, write, and play videogames with my siblings. 

Contact: nraza4@uic.edu