RESEARCH in my laboratory focuses on AMPA receptors, tetrameric ion channels that mediate glutamate signaling in the brain and other tissues. AMPA receptors are important regulators of the efficiency of synaptic transmission, a key property underlying learning and memory, and contribute - when malfunctioning - to numerous neuropathologies. We are using a combination of biochemical, molecular biological and electrophysiological methods to study the mechanisms which determine the subunit composition, cellular localization and protein interactions of AMPA receptors in order to understand their function in normal and diseased brain in molecular detail.

Current topics:

1. Cytosolic protein interactions of long-tailed AMPA receptor subunits GluA1 and GluA4

2. Modulation of AMPA receptor function by interacting proteins

3. Quality control of AMPA receptor trafficking