Toshihide Hige

Toshihide Hige is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, affiliated with the Department of Cell Biology & Physiology and the Integrative Program for Biological & Genome Sciences (iBGS). His research focuses on understanding how neural circuits integrate synaptic plasticity to enable flexible behavioral responses in fruit flies. He holds a Ph.D. from Kyoto University (Japan) and conducted postdoctoral research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Janelia Research Campus.

His lab combines in vivo electrophysiology, two-photon imaging, and genetic tools to study learning and decision-making in Drosophila. Key interests include dopamine circuitry, olfactory conditioning, and the molecular basis of synaptic plasticity. The lab is part of a vibrant neuroscience community in Chapel Hill, collaborating across disciplines.

Recent work highlights roles for dopaminergic feedback circuits in value-based decisions (2025), hierarchical architecture enabling second-order conditioning (2023), and synaptic plasticity mechanisms in mushroom body circuits (2015–2024). While no formal awards are listed, his publications reflect sustained contributions to systems neuroscience.

Current advisees include Chad Heer (Postdoc) and Debapriya Ghosh (Graduate Student), with past members spanning postdocs, technicians, and visiting scholars. The lab actively recruits new researchers through the QBio and BBSP programs.