Brandeis University · BiologyTurrigiano Lab
Gina G Turrigiano · Waltham, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Gina Turrigiano's lab at Brandeis University focuses on understanding how the brain maintains stable function during learning and experience. The research explores the mechanisms that allow neurons to adjust their activity levels, ensuring that they don't become overly excited or underactive. Key investigations involve how changes in sleep and wakefulness influence these processes, which are critical for memory and overall brain health. This work is significant for understanding neurological disorders related to circuit malfunction, such as epilepsy and PTSD.
homeostatic plasticitycortical circuitsmemory encodingsleep and wake statessynaptic scalingneuron firing ratesvisual cortexexperience-dependent plasticityneurological disorderscognitive flexibility
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how neurons establish and maintain firing rate set points
AIM 02Explore the interaction between different homeostatic mechanisms in stabilizing network activity
AIM 03Assess the impact of sleep and wake states on homeostatic plasticity
AIM 04Test how synaptic scaling affects memory storage and generalization
AIM 05Develop tools to manipulate homeostatic mechanisms in vivo.
Skills the Lab Values
in vivo experimentationoptogeneticssingle-cell recordingmouse modelsbehavioral assaysimmunohistochemistrydata analysis in Relectrophysiologytransgenic animal techniquesimaging techniques
Output against the department
Publications165top 40% of dept.415th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations28ktop 12% of dept.128th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
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