Building & adapting circuits into functional networks

BUILD-CIRCUITS will deal with a central topic in neuroscience that is understanding the rules governing the development of functional brain circuits. To this, this program includes groups that study distinct, but complementary, aspects of the development and plasticity of sensory connections starting from peripheral regions and up to central stations, including intracortical, thalamocortical, limbic and corticostriatal circuits. Brain stations with a classical modulatory role but which developmental rules and their relationship with incoming sensory systems remains largely unknown (eg. striatum and cerebellum) are included. As one of our joint goals is to understand how developing circuits assemble into functional networks, BUILD-CIRCUITS combines state-of-the-art anatomical and functional imaging techniques such as iDISCO, in utero electroporation for gain-and loss-of-function of specific genes, mouse genetics, virus tracing, in vivo calcium imaging as well as single- and multiunit recordings of sensory-driven and spontaneous activity.

 

Research Groups