Physiology of Neural Circuits

Research interests

The main scientific interest of our laboratory is to understand the mechanisms underlying in vivo function of neural networks. The major research lines include

Characterization of the endogenous brain rhythms during early postnatal development, in the adulthood and during ageing/neurodegenerative diseases
Elucidation of the mechanisms underlying processing of sensory signals
Understanding the rules governing the integration of neurons in the preexisting neural networks
Interactions between nervous and immune systems of the brain Interactions between nervous and immune systems of the brain

The different scientific topics of the Garaschuk lab

Methods

Cellular activity is often associated with an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration. We use this property of neural, neuroglial and immune cells for monitoring their function in vivo by means of two-photon calcium imaging. In combination with state-of-the art electrophysiological, optical and molecular biological techniques (multi-color two-photon microscopy, expression of function-modifying proteins, cell attached and whole-cell patch clamp recordings) this approach allows to study function of multi-cellular networks at single cell or even subcellular resolution.

Projects

Mechanisms underlying processing of sensory signals in the visual cortex and the olfactory bulb
Mechanisms governing migration and integration of adult stem cells in the preexisting neural networks
Neuroglial function in the aging and diseased brain
Understanding the cause of neuroglial hyperactivity in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease

Selected Publications

Hausmann D, Hoffmann DC, Venkataramani V, Jung E, Horschitz S, Tetzlaff SK, Jabali A, Hai L, Kessler T, Azorín DD, Weil S, Kourtesakis A, Sievers P, Habel A, Breckwoldt MO, Karreman MA, Ratliff M, Messmer JM, Yang Y, Reyhan E, Wendler S, Löb C, Mayer C, Figarella K, Osswald M, Solecki G, Sahm F, Garaschuk O, Kuner T, Koch P, Schlesner M, Wick W, Winkler F. 2023 Autonomous rhythmic activity in glioma networks drives brain tumor growth Nature 613:179-186.
Lerdkrai C., Asavapanumas N., Brawek B., Kovalchuk Y., Mojtahedi N., Olmedillas del Moral M., Garaschuk O. 2018 Intracellular Ca2+ stores control in vivo neuronal hyperactivity in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. PNAS USA 115: E1279-E1288.
Liang Y, Li K., Riecken K, Maslyukov A, Gomez-Nicola D, Kovalchuk Y, Fehse B, Garaschuk O. 2016 Long-term in vivo single cell tracking reveals the switch of migration patterns in adult-born juxtaglomerular cells of the mouse olfactory bulb. Cell Research 26: 805-821.
Kovalchuk Y, Homma R, Liang Y, Maslyukov A, Hermes M, Thestrup T, Griesbeck O, Ninkovic J, Cohen LB, Garaschuk O. 2015 In vivo odorant response properties of migrating adult-born neurons in the mouse olfactory bulb. Nature Communications 6, 6349.
Busche MA, Eichhoff G, Adelsberger H, Abramowski D, Wiederhold KH, Haass C, Staufenbiel M, Konnerth A, Garaschuk O. 2008 Clusters of hyperactive neurons near amyloid plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Science 321: 1686-1689.