Dr. Eric Horstick, a faculty member in West Virginia University’s Department of Biology, is advancing our understanding of how the brain adapts to the world around it. His research focuses on how environmental and sensory experiences shape neural circuits and influence behavior, uncovering fundamental principles of brain plasticity that extend across species.
Using zebrafish as a primary model organism, Horstick’s lab employs cutting-edge genetic tools, live imaging, and behavioral analyses to study how neural circuits are formed and modified by experience. This approach allows researchers to observe brain activity in real time and identify the cellular mechanisms that underlie adaptive behavior. His work provides insight into how brains respond to changing environments, a question central to neuroscience and human health.
Beyond his own lab, Horstick plays a key role in the West Virginia Network for Functional Neuroscience & Transcriptomics (WV-NFNT), a collaborative, NSF-funded initiative connecting WVU with Marshall University, Shepherd University, and West Virginia State University. As leader of the network’s first research theme, he is spearheading efforts to understand how functional connections emerge and change within neural circuits, helping to build statewide expertise in neuroscience research.
Through his innovative studies and leadership in collaborative science, Horstick is contributing to West Virginia’s growing reputation as a hub for neuroscience research. His work not only deepens our understanding of brain function but also strengthens the infrastructure and talent needed to tackle some of biology’s most pressing questions.
