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Using patch clamp recording in vitro coupled with two photon microscopy and targeted synaptic stimulation I am studying the dendritic properties of neurons of primary sensory thalamic nuclei, namely the dorsal lateral geniculate (visual), medial geniculate (auditory) and ventrobasal (somatosensory) nuclei. Using calcium sensitive fluorescent indicators I aim to characterise the intrinsic active properties of TC neuron dendrites and how they shape and integrate synaptic inputs from differing dendritic locations (e.g. proximal sensory inputs vs distal corticothalamic inputs). Furthermore, I am studying the role of TC neuron dendrites in the genesis/propagation of intrinsic TC neuron oscillatory activity such as the slow (< 1Hz) sleep oscillation and HT bursting at alpha frequency (~10 Hz).
I joined the Crunelli lab in 2006 and have been responsible for the installation and running of the 2 photon microscope system since mid 2007. Previously, I studied at the University of Otago (Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo) in Dunedin, New Zealand where I obtained my PhD in neuropharmacology in 2006. My doctoral thesis was on my studies into the mechanism of action of a novel anticonvulsant drug, lacosamide (Vimpat™, Schwarz/UCB), which is now approved for use in both Europe and the USA. Using a range of techniques, including whole cell voltage clamp in cultured neuroblastoma cells and two electrode voltage clamp in Xenopus oocytes, I demonstrated that lacosamide acts through a unique modulation of voltage gated sodium channel slow inactivation.
I currently operate a Prairie Technologies Ultima II 2-PE microscopy system with a Coherent Chameleon Ultra II tunable Ti:sapphire light source. My system is equipped with an acousto-optical deflector (AOD) system for ultra fast imaging and electrophysiological equipment including Luigs & Neumann micromanipulators and Axon Instruments Multiclamp 700B patch clamp amplifier.
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