Research Interests

Our main scientific interest is to understand the mechanisms underlying in vivo function of neural networks. The major research lines include

I.) Characterization of the endogenous brain rhythms during early postnatal development, in the adulthood and during ageing/neurodegenerative diseases

II.) Elucidation of the mechanisms underlying processing of sensory signals

III.) Understanding the rules governing the integration of neurons in the preexisting neural networks

IV.) Interactions between nervous and immune systems of the brain

Techniques

Cellular activity is often associated with an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration. We use this property of neural, neuroglial and immune cells for monitoring their function in vivo by means of two-photon calcium imaging. In combination with state-of-the art electrophysiological, optical and molecular biological techniques (multi-color two-photon microscopy, expression of genetically-encoded calcium indicators, cell attached and whole-cell patch clamp recordings) this approach allows to study function of multi-cellular networks at single cell or even subcellular resolution.

Projects

- Mechanisms underlying processing of sensory signals in the olfactory bulb

- Deciphering the mechanisms governing migration and integration of adult stem cells in the preexisting neural networks

- Understanding microglial function in the aging and diseased brain

- Understanding the cause of neuronal hyperactivity in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease