Postdoctoral position on plasticity of electrical transmission - Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available in the Department of Neuroscience of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Bronx, New York). As in chemical synapses, electrical synapses represent true synaptic structures that undergo modifications of their synaptic strength. Plastic changes of electrical synapses play important functional roles by reconfiguring neural networks. We investigate these properties at identifiable mixed synapses on the larval zebrafish Mauthner cell, at which detailed molecular mechanisms are been investigated by combining powerful genetic manipulations with in-vivo imaging, electrophysiology and time-resolved ultrastructural analysis. The laboratory is focused on understanding 1) the molecular complexity of the structures underlying electrical synaptic communication (neuronal gap junctions) at these synapses, and 2) the ultimate molecular mechanisms that are responsible for changes of their synaptic strength. We are seeking for highly motivated individuals with strong background in cellular neurophysiology, imaging and/or the zebrafish model who are interested in joining our efforts.
The Department of Neuroscience (http://www.einstein.yu.edu/departments/neuroscience/) provides an excellent environment for scientific research, including exceptional core facilities in optical imaging, genomics, proteomics, optogenetics and behavior.
Applications, including a detailed CV, should be submitted to Dr. Alberto Pereda at alberto.pereda@einstein.yu.edu.
Relevant publications:
Cachope R., Mackie K., Triller A., O’Brien J. and Pereda A. Potentiation of electrical and glutamatergic synaptic transmission mediated by endocannabinoids. Neuron, 56, pp. 1034-1047, 2007.
Rash J.E., Curti S., Davidson K.G.V., Nannapaneni S., Palacios-Prado N., Flores C., Yasumura T., O'Brien J.,Bukauskas F., Nagy J.I. and Pereda A. Molecular and functional asymmetry at a vertebrate electrical synapse. Neuron, 79, pp. 957-969, 2013.
Pereda A. Electrical synapses and their interactions with chemical synapses. Nature Reviews Neuroscience,15, pp. 250-263, 2014.
Yao C., Davidson K., Delfiner M., Eddy V., Lucaci A., Soto-Riveros C., Yasumura T., Rash J.E. and Pereda A. Electrical synaptic transmission in developing zebrafish: properties and molecular composition of gap junctions at a central auditory synapse. Journal of Neurophysiology, 112, pp. 2102-2113, 2014.
Miller A. and Pereda A. The electrical synapse: Molecular complexities at the gap and beyond. Developmental Neurobiology, 77, pp. 562-574, 2017.
Alcamí P. and Pereda A. Beyond plasticity: the dynamic impact of electrical synapses on neural circuits. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, in press.