Welcome!

For animals who live in an unpredictable world, the ability to process and remember their sensory environment accurately is crucial for survival. Our lab focuses broadly on how such sensory representations form (learning) and persist (memory).

Our group is dedicated to undergraduate-driven neuroscience research. We pair behavioural studies with psychopharmacology and techniques in molecular biology to study the molecular pathways involved in olfactory memory.

The TONG RESEARCH GROUP  is at Earlham College in Richmond, IN, USA.

News/Updates:

Practicing mouse brain dissections. We don’t need them for our project this summer, but it never hurts to learn a new technique when you can. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Practicing mouse brain dissections. We don’t need them for our project this summer, but it never hurts to learn a new technique when you can. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Sorry if this is not what your journal clubs look like. Discussing the genetic modification of medicinal plants and implications for ecosystems. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Sorry if this is not what your journal clubs look like. Discussing the genetic modification of medicinal plants and implications for ecosystems. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Practicing data analysis and working through the steps before our data collection is done. #PracticeMakesBetter #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Practicing data analysis and working through the steps before our data collection is done. #PracticeMakesBetter #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Look how shiny! New mouse housing cages arrive and we’re excited #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Look how shiny! New mouse housing cages arrive and we’re excited #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Fixing broken materials is also part of research. Science, especially wet lab work, can generate a lot of waste. What ways could you reduce and reuse in your work? #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Fixing broken materials is also part of research. Science, especially wet lab work, can generate a lot of waste. What ways could you reduce and reuse in your work? #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Giant student-faculty journal club! Thanks to @patricksbarber for leading a discussion on the importance of “stupidity” in science and Cu+ biosensor development #STEMatSLAC
Giant student-faculty journal club! Thanks to @patricksbarber for leading a discussion on the importance of “stupidity” in science and Cu+ biosensor development #STEMatSLAC
Abhay spends his 21st birthday in the best way possible: presenting our mice with +/- limonene #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Abhay spends his 21st birthday in the best way possible: presenting our mice with +/- limonene #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Once you’re Tong Research Group, you’re always Tong Research Group. TRG alum, Anthony Maggard, returns to spend some of his post-grad summer learning stereotactic surgeries. #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Once you’re Tong Research Group, you’re always Tong Research Group. TRG alum, Anthony Maggard, returns to spend some of his post-grad summer learning stereotactic surgeries. #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Can I brag on these students a little bit? Wow! Amazed by their skill and teamwork. Day 1 of our first round of official experiments is complete! Let’s celebrate with pizza and burgers. #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Can I brag on these students a little bit? Wow! Amazed by their skill and teamwork. Day 1 of our first round of official experiments is complete! Let’s celebrate with pizza and burgers. #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Planning and talking over schedules for the long first day of our official experiment. Surgeries ✅ practice infusions ✅ practice behavioural task ✅ time to put it all together!
Planning and talking over schedules for the long first day of our official experiment. Surgeries ✅ practice infusions ✅ practice behavioural task ✅ time to put it all together!
After surgeries, mice are housed alone so that other mice won’t damage their cannula. We are at capacity! All thanks to the amazing surgical work of our summer research students. #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
After surgeries, mice are housed alone so that other mice won’t damage their cannula. We are at capacity! All thanks to the amazing surgical work of our summer research students. #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Surgery day lab notebook. Bloody T and Thai takeout orders. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Surgery day lab notebook. Bloody T and Thai takeout orders. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Our day started out a little rough. We came across a technical problem. I was so impressed with the team’s perseverance and ability to problem solve together. We took a break in the sun, ate some kheer, and then headed back to the lab to keep going! That’s science! In the last few pictures, you can see Mallory Crosby finishing up a stereotactic surgery. Just another day of research ... #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Our day started out a little rough. We came across a technical problem. I was so impressed with the team’s perseverance and ability to problem solve together. We took a break in the sun, ate some kheer, and then headed back to the lab to keep going! That’s science! In the last few pictures, you can see Mallory Crosby finishing up a stereotactic surgery. Just another day of research ... #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
NSF REU research teams race against the clock (& each other) to match the correct combo of research question, model system, and methodology ... Dr Bob Rosenberg’s group won! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
NSF REU research teams race against the clock (& each other) to match the correct combo of research question, model system, and methodology ... Dr Bob Rosenberg’s group won! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Earlham students invited our NSF REU to Rose City, the student-run coffee shop, for free coffee and group discussions on research ethics #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Earlham students invited our NSF REU to Rose City, the student-run coffee shop, for free coffee and group discussions on research ethics #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Meanwhile, other NSF REU neuroscientists are learning about the stars. Thanks to our resident astronomer, Dr. Seth Hopper. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Meanwhile, other NSF REU neuroscientists are learning about the stars. Thanks to our resident astronomer, Dr. Seth Hopper. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
NSF REU neuroscientists putting our minds together to break out Earlham’s giant beaver before it’s too late!! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
NSF REU neuroscientists putting our minds together to break out Earlham’s giant beaver before it’s too late!! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Today we’re hosting Day 1 of our summer NSF REU bootcamp. Earlham College is hosting faculty-student research teams from Kenyon College and College of Wooster. Yay, neuroscientists! #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Today we’re hosting Day 1 of our summer NSF REU bootcamp. Earlham College is hosting faculty-student research teams from Kenyon College and College of Wooster. Yay, neuroscientists! #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Tong Research Group is learning R. Thanks to Prof Chris Smith, we were able to graph our behavioural data. Look how pretty ... #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC #professionaldevelopment
Tong Research Group is learning R. Thanks to Prof Chris Smith, we were able to graph our behavioural data. Look how pretty ... #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC #professionaldevelopment
Lab perks! ☕️ When your lab mate works at the student-run coffeeshop, so lab meetings are pretty great 👍 #STEMatSLAC
Lab perks! ☕️ When your lab mate works at the student-run coffeeshop, so lab meetings are pretty great 👍 #STEMatSLAC
Practicing mouse brain dissections. We don’t need them for our project this summer, but it never hurts to learn a new technique when you can. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch Sorry if this is not what your journal clubs look like. Discussing the genetic modification of medicinal plants and implications for ecosystems. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch Practicing data analysis and working through the steps before our data collection is done. #PracticeMakesBetter #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch Look how shiny! New mouse housing cages arrive and we’re excited #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC Fixing broken materials is also part of research. Science, especially wet lab work, can generate a lot of waste. What ways could you reduce and reuse in your work? #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC Giant student-faculty journal club! Thanks to @patricksbarber for leading a discussion on the importance of “stupidity” in science and Cu+ biosensor development #STEMatSLAC Abhay spends his 21st birthday in the best way possible: presenting our mice with +/- limonene #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC Once you’re Tong Research Group, you’re always Tong Research Group. TRG alum, Anthony Maggard, returns to spend some of his post-grad summer learning stereotactic surgeries. #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC Can I brag on these students a little bit? Wow! Amazed by their skill and teamwork. Day 1 of our first round of official experiments is complete! Let’s celebrate with pizza and burgers. #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC Planning and talking over schedules for the long first day of our official experiment. Surgeries ✅ practice infusions ✅ practice behavioural task ✅ time to put it all together! After surgeries, mice are housed alone so that other mice won’t damage their cannula. We are at capacity! All thanks to the amazing surgical work of our summer research students. #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC Surgery day lab notebook. Bloody T and Thai takeout orders. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch Our day started out a little rough. We came across a technical problem. I was so impressed with the team’s perseverance and ability to problem solve together. We took a break in the sun, ate some kheer, and then headed back to the lab to keep going! That’s science! In the last few pictures, you can see Mallory Crosby finishing up a stereotactic surgery. Just another day of research ... #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch NSF REU research teams race against the clock (& each other) to match the correct combo of research question, model system, and methodology ... Dr Bob Rosenberg’s group won! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch Earlham students invited our NSF REU to Rose City, the student-run coffee shop, for free coffee and group discussions on research ethics #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch Meanwhile, other NSF REU neuroscientists are learning about the stars. Thanks to our resident astronomer, Dr. Seth Hopper. #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch NSF REU neuroscientists putting our minds together to break out Earlham’s giant beaver before it’s too late!! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch Today we’re hosting Day 1 of our summer NSF REU bootcamp. Earlham College is hosting faculty-student research teams from Kenyon College and College of Wooster. Yay, neuroscientists! #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC Tong Research Group is learning R. Thanks to Prof Chris Smith, we were able to graph our behavioural data. Look how pretty ... #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC #professionaldevelopment Lab perks! ☕️ When your lab mate works at the student-run coffeeshop, so lab meetings are pretty great 👍 #STEMatSLAC

Feel free to explore this website for more information about what we do and how to join us!