Summer Research 2013
We welcome Artur Llobet of Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute to the MBL as our first summer researcher.
REWIRING OF ODOR MAPS IN THE OLFACTORY BULB OF Xenopus tropicalis
Some amphibians are capable to recover the functionality of their sensory inputs after suffering traumatic injuries. Following a lesion, their neuronal circuits can be rewired and synaptic connections restored to their normal function. By using the Western clawed frog (Xenopus tropicalis), I aim to understand how synaptic connections established in olfactory glomeruli of developing larvae recover their functionality after an injury. I will evaluate synaptic activity in vivo using genetically encoded calcium indicators expressed in specific neuronal populations of the olfactory pathway. Results will shed light on mechanisms controlling the formation and maturation of synapses and connectivity of neuronal networks.
The NXR will have space available for summer researchers as well as facilities to maintain frog lines during the summer and frogs for sale to use.
If interested in conducting research during the summer or during the rest of the year, please contact Xenopus@mbl.edu for more information.
