Research Interests
I have a research background in experimental animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. Here, I wish to bridge molecular and system neuroscience and investigate aberrant cortico-basal ganglia (BG) circuit adaptations in models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). I will implement viral platforms and genetically-encoded biosensors in combination with lesion models and neuroimaging to capture network/neurotransmitter changes in the BG circuit. Pathway-selective manipulations of BG cell populations will be performed to assess motor restoration in rodent models of PD. In parallel, a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) expression atlas derived from BG cell populations is explored in order to identify putative novel non-dopaminergic targets for PD pharmacotherapy
