Vered Kellner

Neuron-Astrocyte interactions

Abstract:

The primary goal of my new laboratory is to understand how neural circuits develop in the healthy brain and in neurodevelopmental disorders.

To study this we look at an often overlooked cell type in the brain - Astrocytes.

Using advanced microscopy techniques and genetically altered mice, we are able to detect coordinated signaling between astrocytes and neurons in the intact developing brain.

My lab will study what role this coordination plays in brain development, and in specific neural circuits such as inhibitory circuits.

Additionally, we will study the coordination between astrocytes and neurons in models of autism and schizophrenia.

Techniques:

Widefield and Multiphoton calcium imaging; Genetically encoded calcium indicators; In vivo imaging; Acute slice imaging; Image analysis using MATLAB; PCR, RT-PCR, qRT-PCR; Immunohistochemistry; In situ Hybridization (using HCR); Mouse models; RNA sequencing; Bioinformatics (using R)