Lin Zhong’s research seeks to understand how the brain constructs internal models of the external world and uses them to guide behavior. His lab investigates the neural and cognitive processes underlying visual learning as mice navigate virtual environments. By recording large-scale neural activity with two-photon calcium imaging from tens of thousands of neurons, the team obtains snapshots of animal’s “minds” during learning. Leveraging advanced computational approaches and deep learning to decode these activity patterns, the lab aims to uncover how brain networks are reorganized through experience, enabling the formation of perception and memory.