Jun Takatoh

Jun Takatoh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook University's Renaissance School of Medicine. He holds a Ph.D. in Biosciences from Kitasato University (Japan) and completed postdoctoral research at Duke University and MIT under Dr. Fan Wang. His laboratory focuses on understanding neural mechanisms underlying orofacial motor behaviors, particularly eating actions involving coordinated tongue, jaw, and swallowing movements. Research integrates neuroanatomical mapping (using viral tracing and whole-tissue imaging), molecular characterization of neurons, and circuit manipulations to study sensory-motor and autonomic nervous system interactions.

Key research interests include rhythmic neural activity coordination, sensory feedback modulation, and autonomic regulation during eating. His work addresses how disruptions in these systems contribute to dysphagia and neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease. Recent studies investigate brainstem circuits for vocal-respiratory coordination and develop tools like CellBoost for neuroanatomical annotation.

Publications span high-impact journals such as Nature, Neuron, and Science Advances, with a focus on neural circuitry in orofacial movements, vibrissa systems, and social vocalization circuits. His NIH-funded research combines advanced viral tools, electrophysiology, and behavioral tracking to map premotor circuits in mice. Laboratory spaces are located in the Life Sciences Building (Office 532, Lab 537).