Adam Hantman

Adam Hantman, PhD is an Associate Professor and Edward R. Perl Investigator at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, affiliated with the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology. His Hantman Lab focuses on understanding how neural circuits generate coordinated motor behaviors, particularly through the cortico-cerebellar loop's role in learned tasks like reaching and grasping. Research combines genetics, anatomy, physiology, and dynamical systems modeling to dissect neural network functions.

Key research interests include motor control mechanisms, neural circuit dynamics, and the interplay between sensory input and motor output. The lab employs cutting-edge techniques such as viral vector engineering (AAV variants), advanced imaging (fMRI, Neuropixels probes), and computational modeling to study neural activity patterns.

Awarded the Edward R. Perl Investigator title, Dr. Hantman’s work bridges molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscience. Notable contributions include identifying cerebellar-thalamocortical pathways critical for movement initiation and revealing how cortico-cerebellar communication underpins dexterity.

Labs/Teams: Hantman Lab at UNC Neuroscience Center actively explores neural circuit basis of skilled movements and pain modulation. Collaborations span neuroengineering (e.g., SORDINO fMRI technology) and molecular biology (genetic circuit mapping).