James Priestley

EPFL SV BMI GR-PRIESTLEY
AAB 1 37 (Bâtiment AAB)
Station 19
1015 Lausanne

EPFL SV BMI GR-PRIESTLEY
AAB 1 37 (Bâtiment AAB)
Station 19
1015 Lausanne

Expertise

Systems neuroscience; neurobiology of learning and memory
The research of my lab is generally focused on the neurobiology of memory, particularly the computational role of the hippocampus and associated structures in memory formation. My work combines high-density recording of neural activity with virtual reality to  study these circuits in behaving mice. We study the connections between these observations and implementations of efficient memory systems in artificial neural networks.

I studied neuroscience at Boston University from 2011-2015, and received my PhD in neurobiology and behavior from Columbia University in New York City in 2022. Since 2023, I have lead my research group at EPFL as part of the ELISIR early independence program. In my prior work, I was mentored by Profs. Howard Eichenbaum, Attila Losonczy, and Stefano Fusi.

Awards

Titus M. Coan Prize for Excellence in Basic Research

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

2023

Life Sciences Early Independent Research Scholar (ELISIR)

Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

2022

Ruth L. Kirschtein NRSA Predoctoral Fellowship

National Institute of Mental Health

2019

Selected publications

Signatures of rapid plasticity in hippocampal CA1 representations during novel experiences

James B. Priestley, John C. Bowler, Sebi V. Rolotti, Stefano Fusi, Attila Losonczy
Published in Neuron in 2022

Medial Entorhinal Cortex Selectively Supports Temporal Coding by Hippocampal Neurons

Nick TM Robinson*, James B Priestley*, Jon W Rueckemann, Aaron D Garcia, Vittoria A Smeglin, Francesca A Marino, Howard Eichenbaum
Published in Neuron in 2017

Hippocampal network reorganization underlies the formation of a temporal association memory

Mohsin S Ahmed*, James B Priestley*, Angel Castro, Fabio Stefanini, Ana Sofia Solis Canales, Elizabeth M Balough, Erin Lavoie, Luca Mazzucato, Stefano Fusi, Attila Losonczy
Published in Neuron in 2020

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-expressing interneurons in the hippocampus support goal-oriented spatial learning

Gergely Farkas Turi, Wen-Ke Li, Spyridon Chavlis, Ioanna Pandi, Justin O’Hare, James Benjamin Priestley, Andres Daniel Grosmark, Zhenrui Liao, Max Ladow, Jeff Fang Zhang, Boris Valery Zemelman, Panayiota Poirazi, Attila Losonczy
Published in Neuron in 2019

Brainstem nucleus incertus controls contextual memory formation

András Szőnyi, Katalin E Sos, Rita Nyilas, Dániel Schlingloff, Andor Domonkos, Virág T Takács, Balázs Pósfai, Panna Hegedüs, James B Priestley, Andrew L Gundlach, Attila I Gulyás, Viktor Varga, Attila Losonczy, Tamás F Freund, Gábor Nyiri
Published in Science in 2019

A local circuit-basis for spatial navigation and memory processes in hippocampal area CA1

Tristan Geiller, James B Priestley, Attila Losonczy
Published in Current Opinions in Neurobiology in 2026

Reorganization of CA1 dendritic dynamics by hippocampal sharp-wave ripples during learning

Sebi V Rolotti, Heike Blockus, Fraser T Sparks, James B Priestley, Attila Losonczy
Published in Neuron in 2022

An Intranet of Things approach for adaptable control of behavioral and navigation-based experiments

John C Bowler, George Zakka, Hyun Choong Yong, Wenke Li, Bovey Rao, Zhenrui Liao, James B Priestley, Attila Losonczy
Published in eLife in 2025