{"id":871,"date":"2016-03-09T13:59:50","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T13:59:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/?post_type=dt_team&#038;p=871"},"modified":"2026-01-27T09:41:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T13:41:10","slug":"keven-j-laboy-juarez","status":"publish","type":"dt_team","link":"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/dt_team\/keven-j-laboy-juarez\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Keven J. Laboy-Ju\u00e1rez"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div id=\"ultimate-heading-317769e7df7e611ca\" class=\"uvc-heading ult-adjust-bottom-margin ultimate-heading-317769e7df7e611ca uvc-7312 accent-subtitle-color\" data-hspacer=\"no_spacer\"  data-halign=\"left\" style=\"text-align:left\"><div class=\"uvc-heading-spacer no_spacer\" style=\"top\"><\/div><div class=\"uvc-main-heading ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='.uvc-heading.ultimate-heading-317769e7df7e611ca h2'  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"desktop:30px;mobile_landscape:34px;\",\"line-height\":\"desktop:40px;mobile_landscape:44px;\"}' ><h2 style=\"font-weight:bold;color:#0a0a0a;margin-bottom:10px;\">Dr. Keven J. Laboy-Ju\u00e1rez<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"uvc-sub-heading ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='.uvc-heading.ultimate-heading-317769e7df7e611ca .uvc-sub-heading '  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"desktop:18px;mobile_landscape:20px;\",\"line-height\":\"desktop:34px;mobile_landscape:30px;\"}'  style=\"font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:30px;\">Assistant Professor (Adhonorem)<\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row_content&#8221; bg_type=&#8221;bg_color&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;]<div class=\"ult-content-box-container \" >\t\t<div class=\"ult-content-box\" style=\"background-color:#545454;box-shadow: px px px px none;border-style:solid;border-width:5px;border-radius:5px;border-color:#545454;padding:10px;-webkit-transition: all 700ms ease;-moz-transition: all 700ms ease;-ms-transition: all 700ms ease;-o-transition: all 700ms ease;transition: all 700ms ease;\"  data-hover_box_shadow=\"none\"     data-bg=\"#545454\"  data-border_color=\"#545454\" ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-type=\"the7_shortcodes-inline-css\">.shortcode-single-image-wrap.shortcode-single-image-2829c0b913c8cc9e593d45b830ffde55.enable-bg-rollover .rollover i,\n.shortcode-single-image-wrap.shortcode-single-image-2829c0b913c8cc9e593d45b830ffde55.enable-bg-rollover .rollover-video i {\n  background: -webkit-linear-gradient();\n  background: linear-gradient();\n}\n.shortcode-single-image-wrap.shortcode-single-image-2829c0b913c8cc9e593d45b830ffde55 .rollover-icon {\n  font-size: 32px;\n  color: #ffffff;\n  min-width: 44px;\n  min-height: 44px;\n  line-height: 44px;\n  border-radius: 100px;\n  border-style: solid;\n  border-width: 0px;\n}\n.dt-icon-bg-on.shortcode-single-image-wrap.shortcode-single-image-2829c0b913c8cc9e593d45b830ffde55 .rollover-icon {\n  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.3);\n  box-shadow: none;\n}<\/style><div class=\"shortcode-single-image-wrap shortcode-single-image-2829c0b913c8cc9e593d45b830ffde55 alignnone  enable-bg-rollover dt-icon-bg-off\" style=\"margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; width:300px;\"><div class=\"shortcode-single-image\"><div class=\"fancy-media-wrap  layzr-bg\" style=\"\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"preload-me lazy-load aspect\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D&#39;http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg&#39;%20viewBox%3D&#39;0%200%20300%20300&#39;%2F%3E\" data-src=\"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/03\/kevenlaboy.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/03\/kevenlaboy.jpg 300w\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\"  data-dt-location=\"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/dt_team\/keven-j-laboy-juarez\/kevenlaboy\/\" style=\"--ratio: 300 \/ 300;\" alt=\"Dr. Keven Laboy\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div>[vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Contact Info<\/strong><\/span>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"uavc-list-icon uavc-list-icon-wrapper ult-adjust-bottom-margin   \"><ul class=\"uavc-list\"><li><div class=\"uavc-list-content\" id=\"list-icon-wrap-3101\">\n<div class=\"uavc-list-icon  \" data-animation=\"\" data-animation-delay=\"03\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><div class=\"ult-just-icon-wrapper  \"><div class=\"align-icon\" style=\"text-align:center;\">\n<div class=\"aio-icon none \"  style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:32px;display:inline-block;\">\n\t<i class=\"icomoon-the7-font-the7-mail-03\"><\/i>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><span  data-ultimate-target='#list-icon-wrap-3101 .uavc-list-desc'  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}'  class=\"uavc-list-desc ult-responsive\" style=\"\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><a style=\"color: #ffffff;\" href=\"mailto:keven.laboy@upr.edu\">keven.laboy@upr.edu<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/li><li><div class=\"uavc-list-content\" id=\"list-icon-wrap-2897\">\n<div class=\"uavc-list-icon  \" data-animation=\"\" data-animation-delay=\"03\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><div class=\"ult-just-icon-wrapper  \"><div class=\"align-icon\" style=\"text-align:center;\">\n<div class=\"aio-icon none \"  style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:32px;display:inline-block;\">\n\t<i class=\"icomoon-the7-font-the7-map-05\"><\/i>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><span  data-ultimate-target='#list-icon-wrap-2897 .uavc-list-desc'  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}'  class=\"uavc-list-desc ult-responsive\" style=\"\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">School of Medicine<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">University of Puerto Rico<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Medical Sciences Campus<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">PO Box 365067<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">San Juan, PR, 00936-5067<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/li><li><div class=\"uavc-list-content\" id=\"list-icon-wrap-8662\">\n<div class=\"uavc-list-icon  \" data-animation=\"\" data-animation-delay=\"03\" style=\"margin-right:5px;\"><div class=\"ult-just-icon-wrapper  \"><div class=\"align-icon\" style=\"text-align:center;\">\n<div class=\"aio-icon none \"  style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:32px;display:inline-block;\">\n\t<i class=\"icomoon-the7-font-the7-phone-071\"><\/i>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><span  data-ultimate-target='#list-icon-wrap-8662 .uavc-list-desc'  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}'  class=\"uavc-list-desc ult-responsive\" style=\"\"><\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>[vc_column_text]<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Education<\/strong><\/span>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"standard-arrow list-divider bullet-top\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;]<div id=\"ultimate-heading-681269e7df7e61f66\" class=\"uvc-heading ult-adjust-bottom-margin ultimate-heading-681269e7df7e61f66 uvc-3019  uvc-heading-default-font-sizes\" data-hspacer=\"no_spacer\"  data-halign=\"left\" style=\"text-align:left\"><div class=\"uvc-heading-spacer no_spacer\" style=\"top\"><\/div><div class=\"uvc-main-heading ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='.uvc-heading.ultimate-heading-681269e7df7e61f66 h3'  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}' ><h3 style=\"font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:30px;\">RESEARCH INTEREST<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uvc-sub-heading ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='.uvc-heading.ultimate-heading-681269e7df7e61f66 .uvc-sub-heading '  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}'  style=\"font-weight:normal;\">Our lab investigates the neural computations that enable animals to adapt their decision-making and behavior in dynamic environments, particularly those requiring trade-offs between physical effort and expected reward. Grounded in systems and behavioral neuroscience, we focus on how neural circuits in the prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and hippocampus encode value, integrate past experiences, and regulate effortful decision-making. We combine pathway-specific neural manipulations (e.g., optogenetics, chemogenetics), in vivo electrophysiology, and custom-designed rodent behavioral tasks to dissect how memory systems interact with value-encoding circuits to guide behavior.<\/p>\n<p>Our behavioral paradigms follow two complementary approaches: operant conditioning and spatial navigation. Using automated operant conditioning chambers and tasks like effort-discounting, 2-arm bandit, and Go\/No-Go, we precisely manipulate reward and effort variables to quantify animals\u2019 sensitivity to subtle changes in cost-benefit landscapes. These tasks form the basis for our collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico, Bayam\u00f3n, Department of Electronics, to develop an automated, scalable training platform for high-throughput behavioral phenotyping. In parallel, we use ethologically inspired navigation tasks that trade experimental control for intuitive engagement of rodents. In one such assay, inspired by greyhound racing, rats sprint down a 6-foot corridor to earn velocity-dependent rewards while climbing variable-incline ramps that modulate effort cost. The task allows rats to self-regulate effort investment across trials based on internal motivation and external effort demands. By embedding decisions about effortful action within this naturalistic context, we can probe how prefrontal, basal ganglia, and hippocampal circuits contribute to action initiation and invigoration. This work has implications for understanding motivational impairments in psychiatric conditions such as depression and schizophrenia.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Scientific Collaborators<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Dr. Juan Gonz\u00e1lez-S\u00e1nchez<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jagses\/?originalSubdomain=pr\">https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jagses\/?originalSubdomain=pr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Pedro A. Feliciano-Ramos<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cbmm.mit.edu\/about\/people\/feliciano-ramos\">https:\/\/cbmm.mit.edu\/about\/people\/feliciano-ramos<\/a><\/div><\/div>[vc_empty_space]<div id=\"ultimate-heading-698869e7df7e61fb8\" class=\"uvc-heading ult-adjust-bottom-margin ultimate-heading-698869e7df7e61fb8 uvc-534  uvc-heading-default-font-sizes\" data-hspacer=\"no_spacer\"  data-halign=\"left\" style=\"text-align:left\"><div class=\"uvc-heading-spacer no_spacer\" style=\"top\"><\/div><div class=\"uvc-main-heading ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='.uvc-heading.ultimate-heading-698869e7df7e61fb8 h3'  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}' ><h3 style=\"font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:30px;\">PUBLICATIONS<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uvc-sub-heading ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='.uvc-heading.ultimate-heading-698869e7df7e61fb8 .uvc-sub-heading '  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}'  style=\"font-weight:normal;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Calo-Guadalupe CG, Bosque-Cordero KY, Capella-Mu\u00f1iz J, Consuegra-Garc\u00eda D, V\u00e1zquez-Torres R, Laboy-Ju\u00e1rez KJ, Sanabria P, Jimenez-Rivera CA. Reward anticipation reduces H-current in midbrain dopamine neurons. (under review at Neuropharmacology<u>)<\/u><\/li>\n<li>Laboy-Ju\u00e1rez KJ, Langberg Tomer, Ahn Seoiyoung and Feldman DE. (2019) Elementary motion sequence detectors in whisker somatosensory cortex.<em> Nature Neuroscience<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Laboy-Ju\u00e1rez KJ#, Ahn Seoiyoung# and Feldman DE. (2019) A normalized template matching method for improving spike detection in extracellular voltage recordings.<em> Scientific Reports<\/em> [# equal co-authors]<\/li>\n<li>LeMessurier AM, Laboy-Ju\u00e1rez KJ, McClain K, Chen S, Nguyen T and Feldman DE. (2019) Tactile enrichment drives emergence of functional columns and improves sensory coding in the whisker map in L2\/3 of mouse S1. <em>eLife<\/em><\/li>\n<li>McGuire LM#, Telian G#, Laboy-Ju\u00e1rez KJ#, Miyashita T, Lee DJ, Smith KA and Feldman DE. (2016)\u00a0Short time-scale sensory coding in S1 during discrimination of whisker vibrotactile sequences.\u00a0<em>PLoS Biology<\/em> [# equal co-authors]<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Grants<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>NIH COBRE Pilot Leader<\/p>\n<p>Molecular Sciences Research Center and Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development (DDEC) Startup Package<\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row_content&#8221; bg_type=&#8221;bg_color&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1596,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","dt_team_category":[28,26],"class_list":["post-871","dt_team","type-dt_team","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","dt_team_category-colaborating-faculty","dt_team_category-faculty","dt_team_category-28","dt_team_category-26","description-off"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dt_team\/871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dt_team"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/dt_team"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"dt_team_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/md.rcm.upr.edu\/physiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dt_team_category?post=871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}