Dr. Ryunosuke Amo is a distinguished neuroscientist whose pioneering research on neural mechanisms has positioned him as a rising leader in contemporary brain science. Currently serving as Assistant Professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and Virginia Tech's School of Neuroscience in the College of Science, Dr. Amo directs a cutting-edge research program investigating neurotransmitter systems. He received a Doctor of Science degree from Waseda University in March 2012, where his childhood fascination with biological systems evolved into specialized expertise in neural circuitry and behavior. His career trajectory includes significant postdoctoral training in the Uchida laboratory at Harvard University, where he conducted influential work on dopamine signaling that established his research foundation.
Dr. Amo's groundbreaking research integrates anatomy, physiology, behavior, computational modeling, and molecular biology to unravel the complex mechanisms through which dopamine regulates diverse behaviors including movement, motivation, and learning. His work has provided critical insights into how dopamine neurons encode prediction errors during associative learning, fundamentally advancing our understanding of reward processing in the brain. By investigating how opioid exposure disrupts dopamine signaling pathways, his laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding the neural basis of addiction. With scholarly work accumulating over 2,600 citations, Dr. Amo has established himself as a leading voice in neuroscience, with research appearing in premier journals including Neuron and Neuroscience Research.
Recipient of the prestigious Young Investigator Award from the Japan Neuroscience Society, Dr. Amo exemplifies the next generation of integrative neuroscience researchers. His work bridges traditionally separate domains, creating a comprehensive framework for understanding how biological and computational processes interact to generate behavior. Dr. Amo's laboratory continues to explore the evolutionary aspects of dopamine signaling across vertebrate species while investigating novel therapeutic targets for conditions linked to dopamine dysfunction. His ongoing research promises to further illuminate the intricate relationship between neural activity and complex behavior, potentially transforming both theoretical neuroscience and clinical approaches to treating neurological and psychiatric disorders.
