# Bence P. Ölveczky Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology ![Bence Olveczky smiling, with short brown hair, a light purple shirt, and dark red sweater](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__320x400/public/oeb/files/bence_olveczky_crop.jpeg?itok=P2p9YS1r) location\_on Northwest Building52 Oxford StreetCambridge, MA 02138 smartphone [617-496-9114](tel:617-496-9114) email laptop\_windows [Ölveczky Lab](http://olveczkylab.oeb.harvard.edu/) Faculty Support: [Meri Petollari](/people/meri-petollari) The research in my lab focuses on the principles and mechanisms by which neural circuits acquire and generate complex behaviors. We are using the rodent as a model system, concentrating our efforts on understanding the process of motor sequence learning. By measuring and manipulating activity in underlying circuits, we hope to arrive at a mechanistic description of how motor sequence are learned and produced by neurons and their connections. **Recent Publications** Otchy TM, Wolff SBE, Rhee JY, Pehlevan C, Kawai R, Kempf A, Gobes SMH, and Ölveczky BP. Acute off-target effects of neural circuit manipulations. **Nature** 528, 358–363. December 2015. Kawai R, Markman T, Dhawale A, Poddar R, Fantana A, Kampff AR, and Ölveczky BP. Motor cortex is required for learning but not for executing a motor skill. **Neuron** 86(3): 800–812, May 2015. Ali F, Otchy TM, Pehlevan C, Fantana AL, Burak Y and Ölveczky BP. The Basal ganglia is necessary for learning spectral, but not temporal, features of birdsong. **Neuron** 80(2):494-506. October 2013. - ## Building [Northwest Labs](/building/northwest-labs) - ## Lab Group [Ölveczky Lab Members](/lab-group/%C3%B6lveczky-lab) - ## People [Faculty](/people/faculty) [Department Faculty](/people/department-faculty) - ## Research Areas [Behavior](/research-areas/behavior) [Neuroethology & Behavioral Ecology](/research-areas/neuroethology-and-behavioral-ecology) - ## Search by Last Name [M-P](/search-last-name/m-p)