Functional genomics of the brain
The anatomical and physiological organization of neural networks is described in health and in neurodegenerative diseases. Knowledge about the electrophysiological properties of neurons is integrated with the analysis of their molecular components using functional genomics techniques.
The brain is made of a large variety of microcircuits, each of them with a specific computational role. The lack of cell-type specific markers has limited our understanding of the structure of neural networks.
We would like to identify the cell types that are components of a neural center. Then, through functional genomics techniques we describe their gene expression profiles unveiling their repertory of chemical mediators, channels and receptors. This information is used to direct electrophysiological experiments and/or classify cell types.
To do so, we use transgenic mice where specific neuronal populations are labeled, techniques to amplify RNAs in a reproducible and sensitive fashion and cDNA microarray technology to obtain large gene expression data (collaboration with M. Garibaldi, IFOM, Italy and P. Carninci, RIKEN, Japan). We have concentrated our efforts on the description of the organization of the mesencephalic dopaminergic (DA) cell system (collaboration with E. Raviola, Harvard Medical School, USA) and of the eGFP-positive GABAergic interneurons of the hippocampus (collaboration with E. Cherubini, SISSA, Italy).
This line of research is funded by The Giovanni Armenise-Harvard Foundation Career Development Award.
To do so, we use transgenic mice where specific neuronal populations are labeled, techniques to amplify RNAs in a reproducible and sensitive fashion and cDNA microarray technology to obtain large gene expression data (collaboration with M. Garibaldi, IFOM, Italy and P. Carninci, RIKEN, Japan). We have concentrated our efforts on the description of the organization of the mesencephalic dopaminergic (DA) cell system (collaboration with E. Raviola, Harvard Medical School, USA) and of the eGFP-positive GABAergic interneurons of the hippocampus (collaboration with E. Cherubini, SISSA, Italy).
This line of research is funded by The Giovanni Armenise-Harvard Foundation Career Development Award.
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