Some of the most important advances in the understanding of nervous system function have been made by exploring animal species with particularly well-developed senses and behaviors. For example, much of the understanding of neuron function is based on studies of the giant axon of the squid. In the current project, the neurobiology and behavior of the star-nosed mole will be investigated with the goal of revealing general principles of nervous system organization, function, and plasticity. Star-nosed moles have an exceptional sense of touch, including mechanosensory organs that are used to make rapid discriminations based on nearly microscopic textures. This species provides a model for exploring the mammalian sense of touch, including simulation of mechanoreceptor function and investigation of parallel processing of touch information in the neocortex. Because the neocortex is a hallmark of the mammalian nervous system and is especially large in humans, there is a particular interest in understanding the basic organization across species and how it evolved. These studies are also valuable for teaching because the animals are unique and interesting to students and the public. The questions that must be addressed will take the investigators and students through a journey of discovery that ranges from the animal in its natural environment at one extreme to the anatomy and physiology of single cells at the other extreme. The investigations will include many different training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students. These include studies of neuroanatomy and electrophysiology in a laboratory setting and studies of behavior and ecology in the field.
