Shawn Lockery

Shawn Lockery is a Professor in the Department of Biology and affiliated with the Neuroscience program at the University of Oregon’s College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on understanding the biological origins of intelligent behavior through the study of neural networks in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a model organism with a fully characterized nervous system and genome.

Research Interests:

• Neuronal basis of behavior and neural computation
• Integration of molecular, genetic, and neural mechanisms
• Application of quantitative behavior analysis, electrophysiology, calcium imaging, optogenetics, and microfluidics

The Lockery Lab leverages C. elegans' simplicity to explore spatial orientation, decision-making, and intelligent behavior. Lab members have developed innovative tools like the Worm Wave, a device for studying collective worm behavior. Their interdisciplinary approach bridges genetics, neuroscience, and computational modeling to dissect neural circuits at multiple scales.