Systemic regulation of neuronal circuits in cognition and behaviour. This project aims to understand systemic regulation of behaviour and cognition in the central nervous system (CNS). The adrenal gland (AG) is an endocrine organ that regulates behaviour and cognition, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulatory axis between the CNS and AG are poorly understood. The AG selectively and highly expresses p38, a member of the MAP kinase family, while mice that lack p38 suffer memory and b ....Systemic regulation of neuronal circuits in cognition and behaviour. This project aims to understand systemic regulation of behaviour and cognition in the central nervous system (CNS). The adrenal gland (AG) is an endocrine organ that regulates behaviour and cognition, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulatory axis between the CNS and AG are poorly understood. The AG selectively and highly expresses p38, a member of the MAP kinase family, while mice that lack p38 suffer memory and behavioural deficits. This project will study p38’s role in systemic CNS function. It aims to understand brain function and systemic regulation of cognition and behaviour, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of brain function and paving the way for new preventive treatments and medical care strategies.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of memory function involving site-specific tau phosphorylation. This project aims to understand the molecular principles that facilitate encoding, maintenance and retrieval of memories in the brain. To store memories in brain circuits, electrical and chemical signals are crucial. Brain cells can integrate signals into biochemical modifications of intracellular proteins. The nature of the protein modifications that represent memory within brain cells is unknown. This project uses innov ....Mechanisms of memory function involving site-specific tau phosphorylation. This project aims to understand the molecular principles that facilitate encoding, maintenance and retrieval of memories in the brain. To store memories in brain circuits, electrical and chemical signals are crucial. Brain cells can integrate signals into biochemical modifications of intracellular proteins. The nature of the protein modifications that represent memory within brain cells is unknown. This project uses innovative genome editing, mathematical modelling and proteomic approaches, to study how biochemical modifications of a key protein called tau help encode and retrieve memories. These molecular insights will make a significant advance in the current understanding of a brain function that is essential to all human activities.Read moreRead less