member

Research description

The Pleasure Lab works on mechanisms controlling development of the cortex and hippocampus. The focus has been on the roles of morphogenic and developmental signaling pathways on the stem cell behavior, cell fate, migration and axon guidance during embryonic and postnatal development. In this area, previous work focused on the roles of Wnt, chemokines and BMP signaling pathways in the developing cortex. More recently, this work has focused on the role of the Sonic Hedgehog pathway in cortical and hippocampal development and function.

Neural dynamics and plasticity in Epilepsy and associated cognitive dysfunction

Our lab studies how neural synchronization and circuit plasticity relate to adaptive and maladaptive behavior. Our interests span many levels of analysis, from the cell to the circuit to animal behavior. The current major focus of our lab is epileptogenesis, the process by which a normal brain develops epilepsy. Our ultimate goal is to identify epilepsy control points in the brain and to develop strategies to prevent epileptogenesis.

The molecular basis of cellular identity in the human brain

The Cellular and Molecular Basis of Synaptic Plasticity

Mitochondrial and Metabolic Dysfunction in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurobiology of Diseases Affecting Cognitive Function

Areas of investigation
We study processes that result in memory loss and other major neurological deficits, with an emphasis on Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. Our long-term goal is to advance the understanding of the healthy and the diseased central nervous system to a point where rational strategies can be developed for the prevention and cure of these conditions. 

Looking beyond the neuron: neuroimmune communication, glia, and the extracellular space in brain development and function

Structural and Mechanistic Studies of Ion Channels and Ion Channel Regulation

Signal Transduction and Second Messenger Signaling in Pain Sensory Neurons; CNS Pain Control Mechanisms; Neural-Endocrine Control of Inflammation

Our laboratory employs a multidisciplinary approach of molecular, biochemical, in vitro and in vivo electrophysiological and behavioral techniques to evaluate mechanisms underlying pain and analgesia.

Biophysics of Mechanosensation