Deciphering the complexity of neuronal communication.

Team research topics:

 The function of the human brain and its capacity for experience-dependent change hinges on the dynamics of chemical synapses. Our team has a long-standing interest in studying the molecular principles underpinning the structure and function of chemical synapses. Our research focuses primarily on glutamatergic synapses and NMDA receptors (NMDARs), ion channel receptors that provide a key component of excitatory neurotransmission in the CNS and that are essential mediators of synaptic plasticity. NMDARs are also targets of strong therapeutic interest since their dysfunction is implicated in a variety of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, mental retardation and epilepsy. Studies from our team cover various aspects ranging from receptor structural and allosteric mechanisms, to subunit-specific pharmacology, origin and evolution of neurotransmitter specificity, dynamics of the synaptic microenvironment and impact of receptor signaling diversity on circuit function and behavior. Our approach is multiscale and bridges fields ranging from molecular and cellular neuroscience to protein engineering, molecular phylogeny, receptor biophysics, synaptic physiology, cellular imaging, optopharmacology and behavior. Our work aims at deciphering the complexity of neuronal communication. We are also attempting to translate information about the regulation of receptor and synapse function into the design of novel precision therapeutic strategies.

Main techniques used:

Our multi-scale approach covers fields ranging from molecular and cellular neuroscience to protein engineering, molecular phylogeny, receptor biophysics, synaptic physiology, super-resolution cellular imaging (PALM, STORM), optogenetics, optopharmacology and behavior.

Address :
46 Rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris

Team leader :
Pierre Paoletti
Name of co-team leader :

Administrative Contact Name :
VILLA Tommaso

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Key words : #Neurone #Synapse #Récepteur #Imagerie #Cellulaire #Optopharmacologie #Neuron #Synapse #Receptor #Cellular #Imaging #Optopharmacology