Cellular Neurophysiology Projects

Contacts: Laura Cancedda (Team leader), Guillaume Bony (PhD student).
The study is currently investigating the role of GABAergic transmission in early cortical development in vivo and in vitro with a multidisciplinary approach. In particular, the research focuses on the role of ionotropic and metabotropic GABAergic receptors in basic processes of neuronal development such as neurogenesis, migration and morphological maturation of cortical neurons. Experiments are performed on the rat model in the attempt to shed light on physiological as well as pathological development of the mammal central nervous system.

The techniques applied in the laboratory include, among others, in vitro electrophysiology on brain slices and cell cultures, in vivo transfection of nucleic acids (in utero electroporation), immunohistochemistry, confocal imaging and behavioral testing.