Neuropharmacology, Molecular Immunobiology and Behavior

Our recently stablished research group aims to understand how pathophysiological brain circuit function, with emphasis on psychiatric and neurological disorders, is mediated by mechanisms related with the immune system. We aim to determine: 1) how innate immune system receptors, such as the Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs; e.g. Toll-like receptors) operate during molecular signaling to regulate emotional and cognitive functions and 2) how crosstalk with the periphery affects these functions by evaluating the functional impact of immune alterations linked to stress or diseases accompanied with low-grade inflammation such as metabolic disorders, which are commonly associated with mood and anxiety disorders.

Although there has been a long-standing relation between the immune system and psychiatry, the role of immune receptors in non-immune function, such as in synaptic plasticity or molecular mechanisms regulating emotion and cognition, remains largely unknown. From an immunomodulatory perspective, identifying the diverse functions of the innate immune receptors in a non-traditional context of immunity and deciphering their molecular signaling pathways in the brain with cell-type-specificity will allow us to gain insight into novel and more specific therapeutic strategies for improving mental health.

Our laboratory uses a multi-disciplinary approach by employing state-of-the-art techniques, including mouse genetic strategies, molecular, in vitro and in vivo pharmacology, local brain drug delivery techniques, stereotaxic surgery, imaging and behavior.