Professor Gavan McNally

I am a behavioural neuroscientist. I study the fundamental behavioural and brain mechanisms for learning and motivation and understanding how these apply to clinical conditions such as addictions, anxiety disorders, and mood disorders.  I am interested in identifying these mechanisms, at the cellular, circuit, and systems level and also in translating this fundamental information into new treatments of psychological conditions. To do so, I adopt a systems neuroscience approach combining well controlled behavioural approaches with a variety of approaches (optogenetics, chemogenetics, in vivo calcium imaging, whole brain circuit mapping) in normal and transgenic animals to map and manipulate, at cellular and circuit levels, brain mechanisms. I pursue human translational work and clinical applications with colleagues at University of Sydney, Sydney Local Health District, Monash University, and Turning Point.

Current Roles

Editor-in-Chief, Neurobiology of Learning & Memory
Senior Editor, The Journal of Neuroscience
President-Elect, European Behavioral Pharmacology Society
Member, Australian Research Council College of Experts
Board Member, Optogenetics Australia