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:

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
This summer, some faculty-student research groups have decided to gather on Thursdays to do a multi-disciplinary journal club. @scerbakresearchgroup starts us off by sharing teas they made from plants they collected for their research. #STEMatSLAC at its best!
This summer, some faculty-student research groups have decided to gather on Thursdays to do a multi-disciplinary journal club. @scerbakresearchgroup starts us off by sharing teas they made from plants they collected for their research. #STEMatSLAC at its best!
Awwwww yea! Welcome to summer research 2018! Our #undergradresearch students are settling in, reading the literature, meeting our mice, and getting ready to learn and practice new protocols. #STEMatSLAC
Awwwww yea! Welcome to summer research 2018! Our #undergradresearch students are settling in, reading the literature, meeting our mice, and getting ready to learn and practice new protocols. #STEMatSLAC
Working on logistics for summer research today. That’s right! Looking forward to getting our team of 5 together this coming Monday. Those who are familiar with Hamilton Syringes and PlasticsOne will know that we are about to inject our drugs into some brain regions! #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Working on logistics for summer research today. That’s right! Looking forward to getting our team of 5 together this coming Monday. Those who are familiar with Hamilton Syringes and PlasticsOne will know that we are about to inject our drugs into some brain regions! #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC
Great news! PI Michelle Tong was awarded a small grant through the Indiana Academy of Sciences. The project to begin in Spring 2019, and will look at the role of Perineuronal Nets in memory interference reduction. Looking for research assistants! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Great news! PI Michelle Tong was awarded a small grant through the Indiana Academy of Sciences. The project to begin in Spring 2019, and will look at the role of Perineuronal Nets in memory interference reduction. Looking for research assistants! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Setting up our shiny, new Vetflo device. We use this to deliver anesthesia to mice during surgeries. In the Tong Research Group, we’re interested in understanding mechanisms of memory, often by disrupting them. In most cases, we inject drugs into the brain through implanted cannula. Hence, the surgeries. We’re excited to be doing the first of such experiments this summer with a group of NSF-funded students! Welcome aboard, y’all! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Setting up our shiny, new Vetflo device. We use this to deliver anesthesia to mice during surgeries. In the Tong Research Group, we’re interested in understanding mechanisms of memory, often by disrupting them. In most cases, we inject drugs into the brain through implanted cannula. Hence, the surgeries. We’re excited to be doing the first of such experiments this summer with a group of NSF-funded students! Welcome aboard, y’all! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
It’s break here at Earlham, but PI Michelle Tong is in a workshop learning how to use R, git, and shell. #Neuroscience is constantly changing and adopting new methodologies. The best researchers are the ones who find time to learn new things. #undergradresearch students should do this too. Take advantage of professional development opportunities! #lifelonglearner
It’s break here at Earlham, but PI Michelle Tong is in a workshop learning how to use R, git, and shell. #Neuroscience is constantly changing and adopting new methodologies. The best researchers are the ones who find time to learn new things. #undergradresearch students should do this too. Take advantage of professional development opportunities! #lifelonglearner
We’re at it again! This time, #undergraduateresearch student Olivia will be investigating the relationships between gut bacteria and memory! You’re seeing the cover page of our approved IACUC protocol. The IACUC is the committee that reviews all experiments with animals to ensure their safety and care. The protocol proposals encourage researchers to plan out their experiments ahead of time to be mindful of animal usage. The IACUC reads these protocols and asks us to adjust numbers, steps, etc to balance animal care and experimental goals. Congrats, Olivia on your approved protocol! #STEMatSLAC
We’re at it again! This time, #undergraduateresearch student Olivia will be investigating the relationships between gut bacteria and memory! You’re seeing the cover page of our approved IACUC protocol. The IACUC is the committee that reviews all experiments with animals to ensure their safety and care. The protocol proposals encourage researchers to plan out their experiments ahead of time to be mindful of animal usage. The IACUC reads these protocols and asks us to adjust numbers, steps, etc to balance animal care and experimental goals. Congrats, Olivia on your approved protocol! #STEMatSLAC
Maren doing an exceptional job talking about her summer research with Prof Bob Rosenberg! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Maren doing an exceptional job talking about her summer research with Prof Bob Rosenberg! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch
Wishing you a happy new year and a wonderful new semester of research! #newyear #letsgetit
Wishing you a happy new year and a wonderful new semester of research! #newyear #letsgetit
Research takes a break as students tackle final exams and PI Michelle Tong grades this grocery bag full of papers. Happy break, y'all!
Research takes a break as students tackle final exams and PI Michelle Tong grades this grocery bag full of papers. Happy break, y'all!
Spoiler alert: it's good news! After we collect our data, we use statistical analysis software (in this case, SPSS) to see if significant differences exist between our control and experimental groups. There's great ongoing debate amongst researchers what are best practices, but one thing is certain: a strong command of statistics is crucial to scientific research AND informed citizenship. Don't leave high school or college without taking a stats course. If you work in a lab, don't let your PI get away with not teaching you how to analyze the data YOU collected! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch #stats
Spoiler alert: it's good news! After we collect our data, we use statistical analysis software (in this case, SPSS) to see if significant differences exist between our control and experimental groups. There's great ongoing debate amongst researchers what are best practices, but one thing is certain: a strong command of statistics is crucial to scientific research AND informed citizenship. Don't leave high school or college without taking a stats course. If you work in a lab, don't let your PI get away with not teaching you how to analyze the data YOU collected! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch #stats
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 This summer, some faculty-student research groups have decided to gather on Thursdays to do a multi-disciplinary journal club. @scerbakresearchgroup starts us off by sharing teas they made from plants they collected for their research. #STEMatSLAC at its best! Awwwww yea! Welcome to summer research 2018! Our #undergradresearch students are settling in, reading the literature, meeting our mice, and getting ready to learn and practice new protocols. #STEMatSLAC Working on logistics for summer research today. That’s right! Looking forward to getting our team of 5 together this coming Monday. Those who are familiar with Hamilton Syringes and PlasticsOne will know that we are about to inject our drugs into some brain regions! #undergradresearch #STEMatSLAC Great news! PI Michelle Tong was awarded a small grant through the Indiana Academy of Sciences. The project to begin in Spring 2019, and will look at the role of Perineuronal Nets in memory interference reduction. Looking for research assistants! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch Setting up our shiny, new Vetflo device. We use this to deliver anesthesia to mice during surgeries. In the Tong Research Group, we’re interested in understanding mechanisms of memory, often by disrupting them. In most cases, we inject drugs into the brain through implanted cannula. Hence, the surgeries. We’re excited to be doing the first of such experiments this summer with a group of NSF-funded students! Welcome aboard, y’all! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch It’s break here at Earlham, but PI Michelle Tong is in a workshop learning how to use R, git, and shell. #Neuroscience is constantly changing and adopting new methodologies. The best researchers are the ones who find time to learn new things. #undergradresearch students should do this too. Take advantage of professional development opportunities! #lifelonglearner We’re at it again! This time, #undergraduateresearch student Olivia will be investigating the relationships between gut bacteria and memory! You’re seeing the cover page of our approved IACUC protocol. The IACUC is the committee that reviews all experiments with animals to ensure their safety and care. The protocol proposals encourage researchers to plan out their experiments ahead of time to be mindful of animal usage. The IACUC reads these protocols and asks us to adjust numbers, steps, etc to balance animal care and experimental goals. Congrats, Olivia on your approved protocol! #STEMatSLAC Maren doing an exceptional job talking about her summer research with Prof Bob Rosenberg! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch Wishing you a happy new year and a wonderful new semester of research! #newyear #letsgetit Research takes a break as students tackle final exams and PI Michelle Tong grades this grocery bag full of papers. Happy break, y'all! Spoiler alert: it's good news! After we collect our data, we use statistical analysis software (in this case, SPSS) to see if significant differences exist between our control and experimental groups. There's great ongoing debate amongst researchers what are best practices, but one thing is certain: a strong command of statistics is crucial to scientific research AND informed citizenship. Don't leave high school or college without taking a stats course. If you work in a lab, don't let your PI get away with not teaching you how to analyze the data YOU collected! #STEMatSLAC #undergradresearch #stats

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