Focus 1: Astrocyte mechanisms modulating inhibition of neuronal networks

Astrocytes are one class of glia that serve critical roles in brain homeostasis and plasticity. Astrocytes are able to influence neuronal excitation and inhibition through a variety of mechanisms including ionic gradient maintenance, neurotransmitter uptake, metabolic buffering, and neuroactive substance release. Our laboratory is particularly interested in how astrocytes influence inhibition through transporter uptake of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA as well as the release of endozepines (molecules that potentiate inhibition). These interests relate to neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by imbalance of neuronal excitation/inhibition such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and autism. 

Focus 2: Neuromodulation of astrocyte-neuron networks during shifts in brain state

Neuromodulation during brain state shifts fundamentally shapes brain states and is critical for sensory processing and adaptive decision-making. Therefore, studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive shifts in brain states is crucial for understanding maladaptive states in neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (i.e. PTSD). Despite the breadth of work studying neuromodulation from a neuronal perspective, relatively little is known about neuromodulation of astrocytes and their subsequent influence over neuronal circuits. Our laboratory is specifically interested in the effects of the neuromodulator, norepinephrine (NE), on both astrocytes and neurons, and how these effects shape sensory processing, decision-making, and learning in dynamic environments.