At the Wu lab, we are driven by a deep fascination with the abilities of animals to perceive and share others’ emotional states (empathy), and to respond with actions that improve others’ well-being (prosocial behaviors). Recognizing the pivotal role of empathy and prosocial behaviors in promoting social cohesion and collective welfare, our mission is to establish an integrative research program to gain deeper insights into the fundamental neural mechanisms that govern these processes. Harnessing techniques that span molecular, circuit, behavioral, and computational levels, we strive to address key questions regarding the neural circuitry and neural computations that underlie empathy and prosocial behavior as well as their impairment in neuropsychiatric conditions.