Prof. Lu acquired a broad background in signaling cascades during embryogenesis through her Ph.D. thesis studies with Dr. Gregor Eichele in embryology and post-doctoral training with Dr. Michael C. Crair in synaptic physiology. During her Ph.D. studies, Prof. Lu mastered molecular biology, histology, and surgical skills for grafting embryonic tissue. As a postdoctoral fellow in Neuroscience, she became proficient in various electrophysiological techniques and carried out extensive studies with transgenic mice. Currently, Prof. Lu’s team aims to elucidate the signaling cascades underlying neural circuit connections during brain development, to understand how sensory experiences affect neural circuit wiring and cognitive behaviors, and how neural circuits maintain their health during aging process. These interests are driven by a growing appreciation that mis-wiring of neuronal circuits during early life is likely to be a major cause of neurological disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, and congenital epilepsy, while dysfunctional neural networks lead to degeneration and dementia.