Paul S. Katz

Paul S. Katz is a Professor and Director of Neuroscience at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research focuses on evolutionary, developmental, and functional aspects of neural circuits underlying behavior. He works extensively with sea slugs (Nudipleura) as model organisms to study neural mechanisms at the cellular level, leveraging their simple nervous systems containing ~10,000 identifiable neurons.

• Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Research Interests:
The lab investigates neural circuits governing rhythmic motor behaviors through comparative species analysis to understand evolutionary changes in homologous neurons. Their work spans electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, bioinformatics, and connectomics to examine molecular fingerprints, synaptic organization, and behavioral state dependencies.

Recent Article Trends:
2024–2025 publications highlight:

• 3D electron microscopic reconstruction of neural circuits
• Single neuron transcriptomics and neuropeptide expression
• State-dependent and location-dependent behavioral responses
• Developmental and evolutionary comparisons of neural architecture
• Computational modeling of rhythmic network activity
• Neurochemical profiling with hybridization chain reaction

Labs & Teams:
Dr. Katz leads a multidisciplinary team integrating molecular, anatomical, and computational approaches. The lab develops tools like mEMbrain for connectomic segmentation and utilizes the Berghia stephanieae sea slug as a model organism with a standardized reference brain atlas.