Dr. Inbal Ben-Ami Bartal

Our lab researches the biological basis of pro-social behavior. We are interested in understanding how the brain processes the distress and pain of others, why we experience empathy for some but not other individuals or groups, and how the decision to approach and help someone in need is computed.

Using an integrative approach that combines behavior, immunostaining and optogenetic tools, the lab examines the brain’s response at the cell and circuit level, to outline the molecular pathway involved in pro-social approach.

This research seeks to inform our basic understanding of the mechanism underlying social behavior and provides a translational path for interventions targeted at psychopathologies and trauma victims involving empathy deficits.