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Tracing the role of clock neurons in brain function
The mammalian "master clock" consists of 20,000 neurons in the hypothalamus controlling all aspects of diurnal behaviour and physiology. Using techniques ranging from optogenetics to single-cell -omics technologies, our laboratory tries to understand neural circuits therein and their function.
Our laboratory is interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying sleep and biological timing. Recently, we have deciphered how dynamic DNA methylation in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SCN) reprograms both molecular (Azzi, Nature Neurosci 2014) and circuit aspects (Azzi, Neuron 2017) of clock function, and how clocks and sleep together reprogram the forebrain transcriptome (Bernardez, Science 2019; Bruning, Bernardez Science 2019). We have also demonstrated how nuclear rearrangement (Benegiamo, Cell Metab 2018) and ion channel control (Muheim, Curr Biol 2019) contributes to both metabolic and circuit aspects of daily physiology. We seek master students interested in both the neural circuits and the molecular biology of clocks and sleep. Some projects take biochemical approaches to understand the fundamental signaling mechanisms involved in this control, using state-of-the-art -omics methodologies. Others use optogenetics and in-vivo calcium imaging to understand circuit mechanisms controlling the same processes. For example, in the figure above from a recently-submitted manuscript, one can see how we used multi-electrode arrays (A) to detect actively firing neurons in the SCN at different times of day (B), and then mapped their locations (C;D). Subsequent optogenetics (not shown) demonstrated that driving a particular population of night-active neurons could create a nap at will!
Our laboratory is interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying sleep and biological timing. Recently, we have deciphered how dynamic DNA methylation in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SCN) reprograms both molecular (Azzi, Nature Neurosci 2014) and circuit aspects (Azzi, Neuron 2017) of clock function, and how clocks and sleep together reprogram the forebrain transcriptome (Bernardez, Science 2019; Bruning, Bernardez Science 2019). We have also demonstrated how nuclear rearrangement (Benegiamo, Cell Metab 2018) and ion channel control (Muheim, Curr Biol 2019) contributes to both metabolic and circuit aspects of daily physiology. We seek master students interested in both the neural circuits and the molecular biology of clocks and sleep. Some projects take biochemical approaches to understand the fundamental signaling mechanisms involved in this control, using state-of-the-art -omics methodologies. Others use optogenetics and in-vivo calcium imaging to understand circuit mechanisms controlling the same processes. For example, in the figure above from a recently-submitted manuscript, one can see how we used multi-electrode arrays (A) to detect actively firing neurons in the SCN at different times of day (B), and then mapped their locations (C;D). Subsequent optogenetics (not shown) demonstrated that driving a particular population of night-active neurons could create a nap at will!
Project A: Deciphering molecular mechanisms of circadian sleep-wake control
Project B: Characterising neural circuits directing diurnal behaviour
For successful master projects, PhD opportunities also exist.
Project A: Deciphering molecular mechanisms of circadian sleep-wake control Project B: Characterising neural circuits directing diurnal behaviour For successful master projects, PhD opportunities also exist.
www.sbrownlab.com
Prof. Steven Brown, steven.brown@pharma.uzh.ch
www.sbrownlab.com Prof. Steven Brown, steven.brown@pharma.uzh.ch