Dr. Cai joined the department of Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2017 as an Assistant Professor. Her lab focuses on basic learning and memory mechanisms as well as their disorders. She obtained her PhD in Experimental Psychology & Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego, where she studied the role of sleep in memory in humans and mice. Pror to joining the faculty at Mount Sinai, Dr. Cai was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles, where her research focused on how memories are formed and linked across time. She was also was one of the lead developers of Miniscopes, an open-source miniature microscope system for calcium imaging in freely behaving animals. At the Icahn School of Medicine, Dr. Cai's team investigates the temporal dynamics of how memories are formed, integrated and separated. In addition, her team studies how aging contributes to cognitive decline. Her lab leverages a multi-level approach, including in vivo imaging, activity-dependent tagging, optogenetics, chemogenetics and behavioral assays.
Multi-Disciplinary Training Area
Neuroscience [NEU]Education
PhD, University of California, San Diego
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2015
New award -
2012
New award -
2009
New award
Research
Behavior, In Vivo Imaging, Learning & Memory, Cognitive Disorders, Hippocampus, Age-related Cognitive Deficits, Anxiety-related Disorders, Optogenetics, Chemogenetics, Activity-dependent Tagging
Physicians and scientists on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai often interact with pharmaceutical, device and biotechnology companies to improve patient care, develop new therapies and achieve scientific breakthroughs. In order to promote an ethical and transparent environment for conducting research, providing clinical care and teaching, Mount Sinai requires that salaried faculty inform the School of their relationships with such companies.
Dr. Cai did not report having any of the following types of financial relationships with industry during 2019 and/or 2020: consulting, scientific advisory board, industry-sponsored lectures, service on Board of Directors, participation on industry-sponsored committees, equity ownership valued at greater than 5% of a publicly traded company or any value in a privately held company. Please note that this information may differ from information posted on corporate sites due to timing or classification differences.
Mount Sinai's faculty policies relating to faculty collaboration with industry are posted on our website. Patients may wish to ask their physician about the activities they perform for companies.