Julio Martinez-Trujillo
The human brain is complex, yet very fragile. Humans are one of the only species which experiences mental illness. Dr. Julio Martinez-Trujillo wants to understand why.
His research focuses on identifying the aspects of behaviour and neurobiological processes that cause mental disease. Behaviours are generated by the coordinated activity of neurons in specific brain circuits. Deviation from normal behaviour is caused by changes to the functioning of these circuits. Through studying attention, memory and social behaviours, Dr. Martinez-Trujillo and his team seek to identify which neural circuits are responsible for the behaviors affected by mental diseases, as well as the changes to these circuits that produce the associated symptoms. Much of Dr. Martinez-Trujillo’s research focuses on the application of these methods to understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Dr. Julio Martinez-Trujillo is a Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology and the Provincially Endowed Academic Chair in Autism. He is a scientist at Robarts Research Institute, where he specializes in research surrounding attention and working memory as well as the pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders. He is also a member of the international collaborative research network NeuroNex, contributing to research on mental representation and working memory. Dr. Martinez-Trujillo earned his PhD at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen and his medical degree at the University of Havana.
Learn about opportunities to work with Dr. Martinez-Trujillo in The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory. Visit him on Twitter: @JulioMTNeuro.
