Welcome to the Neuroglial Epigenetic Auditory Function Lab

The Neuroglial Epigenetic Auditory Function (NEAF) Lab is a collaborative neuroscience research group dedicated to unraveling experience-dependent neuroplasticity in the auditory system, from molecules to behavior, from early development through adulthood, using preclinical rat models and human studies.  We are directed by Dr. Aysegul Gungor Aydin and are located at the Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey.
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We welcome enthusiastic graduate and undergraduate researchers from Rutgers, Seton Hall, and ​Drew Universities to join us in exploring the fascinating world of auditory neuroscience,  from glial cells and epigenomes to newborn infants and beyond.

Decoding the Auditory System:
From Genes to Behavior in Health and Disease
The melody of a bird's song, the rhythmic flow of words in another language, the sound of our own name- each learned auditory stimulus carries profound meaning, shaping how we interpret and respond to the world around us. Our auditory system seamlessly discriminates and identifies sounds for comprehension – allowing us to understand the meanings of specific sounds. How does the auditory brain distinguish the significant sound from the insignificant? How do we encode learned sounds, and how are auditory circuits re-tuned through experience or derailed by it?

Our laboratory investigates the molecular, cellular, and circuit-level mechanisms underlying auditory neuroplasticity, in health, and in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We approach this question at multiple levels, integrating epigenetics, neuroglial biology, systems neuroscience, and clinical neurophysiology. A central goal is to translate mechanistic discoveries into tools for early detection, biomarker development, and intervention in children at risk for language and communication disorders.

Despite remarkable advances in understanding neuronal diversity, the most abundant cell type in the brain, the astrocyte, remains largely unexplored in the auditory cortex. A central goal of our lab is to push auditory neuroscience beyond its neuron-centric focus, investigating how neuroglial networks regulate synaptic plasticity and shape adaptive sound-cued behavior.

Our work spans preclinical rat models and human infant studies, and is conducted in close partnership with the Torres Lab (Rutgers University), Muñoz-Ballester Lab (UMBC), and clinical teams at Morristown Medical Center, including the NICU, Newborn Nursery, and Child Development and Autism Center, and MidAtlantic Neonatology Associates (MANA).

News from NEAF Lab 
April 2025
  • Dr. Gungor Aydin was invited as a "Life After INet NYC Series" guest. Link will be available soon!
  • Congrats to our neonatology fellow, Dr. Josie Miller, who presented her work at PAS 2026!
​January 2025
December 2025
  • Faiza has been accepted to the 2026 entering class at Rowan-Virua School of Medicine! Huge Congratulations, Faiza- Class of 2030!
  • Our first abstract has been selected for a poster presentation at the 17th International Neurobiology and Brain Conference (INBBC) in Naples, Italy!​
  • We celebrated our very FIRST holiday & Lab Anniversary!
October 2025
  •  NEAF lab submitted the first abstract to INBBS 2026 and PAS 2026! 
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September 2025
  • Dr. Gungor Aydin has been invited for a podium presentation at Advances and Perspectives in Auditory Neuroscience (APAN) 2025 in San Diego!

August 2025
  • Dr. Gungor Aydin's abstract, " Whispers of dementia from the auditory brain in a preclinical model of a novel early biomarker of Alzheimer’s Disease risk," was accepted for a nanosymposium presentation at Neuroscience 2025!

July 2025
  • Dr. Gungor Aydin gave an invited talk at Yale Child Study Center (McPartland Lab).

​June 2025 
  • Dr. Gungor Aydin recently joined the Catalyst Collective podcast to discuss the mental health challenges teens are facing and the science behind them. Watch the podcast here.
  • NEAF Lab joined NeoFORUM 2025!
March 2025
  • Dr. Gungor Aydin's last paper was spotlighted by PARSE Bioscience. Read the news here.
  • The NEAF lab did the first grant submission, yay!
  • Dr. Gungor Aydin shared her journey from postdoctoral researcher to independent faculty to raise awareness for mentorship, training & career development for postdocs - You can watch the video here.
  • ​Congratulations to undergraduate Madison Yip (Rutgers University) on receiving the Alice M and Walter Phillips Award for Outstanding Honors Thesis Proposal and for completing her Senior Psychology Honors Thesis!​
February 2025
  • ​Dr. Gungor Aydin gave a talk on "Sensing Echoes in the Auditory Brain to Detect Learning-Induced Neuroplasticity" at the 2025 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting.

January 2025 
  • The NEAF lab (officially) is born!
  • Dr. Gungor Aydin was invited to present at the Astrocyte Cafe, a monthly seminar series focused on astrocyte research, scheduled for February.

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Contact Us
Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey
140 E. Hanover Ave.,
Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927
Phone: 973- 294 1757