My immediate research goals focus on defining the mechanisms of activity-triggered postsynaptic membrane trafficking, a key cell biological process required for synaptic plasticity. A combination of genetics, physiology and optical techniques will be used to dissect how neural activity influences postsynaptic membrane trafficking in an effort to begin identifying the molecules that mediate this phenomenon. My intermediate and long-term research goals are directed at continued screening for novel plasticity factors and imaging the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in intact circuits and in vivo with an emphasis on understanding how these mechanisms influence behavior. Synaptic plasticity governs learning and memory and when it goes awry, is thought to be responsible for numerous mental disorders. I am enthusiastic to initiate a vigorous research program directed at understanding the fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity with the long-term goal of identifying targets for future therapeutic intervention.