Research directions
Investigating microglia-mediated mechanisms of neurodegeneration
Microglia, the immune cells of the brain, are implicated in a variety of functions in the central nervous system, ranging from shaping neural circuits during early brain development, to surveying the brain parenchyma, and providing trophic support to neurons across the entire lifespan. Microglial phagocytic activity, in particular, is important for mediating synapse elimination, clearing invading pathogens and removing protein aggregates like amyloid deposits.
The goal of our research is to understand how defects in these microglial processes can contribute to - or even cause - synaptic dysfunction thus, playing a central role in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.
By combining in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models, we investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying synapse remodeling by microglia, in physiological and pathological contexts.
