Introduction

Homeostasis is a robust form of regulation that allows a system to maintain a constant output despite external perturbations. In the nervous system, homeostasis plays a critical role in regulating neuronal and synaptic activity. Yet the molecular basis of this form of neural plasticity is generally unknown. We address this problem using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.  This model allows us to combine electrophysiology with powerful genetic and pharmacological techniques. The overall goal is to define conserved signaling mechanisms that direct synapses to maintain stable properties, like excitation levels.

It is generally believed that molecules controlling the balance of excitation and inhibition within the nervous system influence many neurological diseases. Therefore, understanding synaptic homeostasis is of clinical interest. This area of research could uncover factors with relevance to the cause and progression of disorders such as epilepsy, which can reflect a state of poorly controlled neural function.

Current Positions

• Associate Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology

Education

• BS in Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
• PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States
• Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States

Graduate Program Affiliations

• Biomedical Science (Cell and Developmental Biology)
• Biomedical Science (Molecular Medicine)
• Genetics
• Neuroscience

Center, Program and Institute Affiliations

• Center for Neurodegeneration
• Iowa Neuroscience Institute

Research Interests

• Modeling Channelopathies at the Synapse
• Synaptic Homeostasis: Molecular Mechanism
• Synaptic Homeostasis at the Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction: Phenomenology