Greeting

The Department of Physiology at Tohoku University has a strong tradition of exploring the brain’s complex functions. As part of this legacy, our lab focuses on how sensory input—especially visual information—is transformed into action.

Since my early training in medicine and neuroscience, I have been drawn to the question of how we move our eyes. Eye movements happen rapidly and automatically, but behind each one lies a coordinated decision made by the brain. They offer a precise, accessible way to study how we perceive the world and respond to it.

Under the mentorship of Professor Yoshikazu Shinoda, I began investigating the neural circuits involved in voluntary eye movements. This led to a broader interest in how the brain selects, integrates, and acts on sensory information in real time.

We use these small, rapid movements as a window into larger questions—how the brain connects seeing and doing, and how those connections shape behavior.

Research begins with a question. The rest is learning how to listen to what the brain reveals.

Mayu Takahashi

Professor, Department of Physiology

Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine