Eyal Rozenfeld, PhD
2025 Leon Levy Scholar in Neuroscience
NYU Langone Health, Neuroscience Institute
Sub-disciplinary Category
Systems Neuroscience
Previous Positions
- BA, Interdisciplinary Center
- MSc, Tel Aviv University
- PhD, Tel Aviv University (Dr. Moshe Parnas)
Bio
Dr. Eyal Rozenfeld is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Dayu Lin’s lab at NYU Langone where he studies the the neuronal mechanisms of social behaviors. Prior to this, he obtained a MSc degree in Neuroscience from Tel-Aviv University in Israel. During his masters he uncovered the role of cholinergic muscarinic receptors in the Drosophila antennal lobe under the supervision of Dr. Moshe Parnas. In 2025, he earned his PhD in Neuroscience from Tel-Aviv University working with Dr. Moshe Parnas. Here, he discovered the physiological relevance of GPCR voltage dependence, elucidated the role of presynaptic proteins in neural coding reliability and uncovered competitive interactions between operant and classical learning in Drosophila.
Research Summary
Identifying the neuronal mechanisms of territorial behavior.
Technical Overview
Deciphering the neural mechanisms of territoriality has broad implications, potentially informing interventions for aggression management and promoting social harmony, both within and between species. Dr. Rozenfeld will investigate the neural mechanisms underlying territory formation and defense in mice, addressing a significant gap in our understanding of animal social behavior. The study will employ a comprehensive approach combining cutting-edge neuroscience techniques with ethologically relevant paradigms in semi-natural environments. Dr. Rozenfeld also aims to determine the environmental and social features that induce territory formation in mice, using a large naturalistic behavioral arena. He will also investigate the neuronal mechanisms of territory formation. Dr. Rozenfeld will utilize chemogenetics, wireless single cell recordings, and targeted manipulations of specific neuronal subpopulations. Dr. Rozenfeld will leverage state-of-the-art technologies, including chemogenetics, in vivo wireless fiber photometry, and automated behavioral analysis, to provide novel insights into the neural basis of territorial behavior. By uncovering the specific neuronal populations and circuits governing the formation and defense of territories, this research has the potential to shed light on evolutionary conserved neural mechanisms of territoriality and their possible implications for understanding human territorial behaviors in various contexts, from personal space maintenance to geopolitical conflicts.