Research
Our research is focused on understanding how neural connections are formed, remodeled, and maintained in the brain and its relevance for cognition and disease. Our work is recognized for (1) uncovering the importance of communication between neurons and astrocytes in the brain, and (2) identifying novel signaling mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity. In particular, our studies have identified new forms of bidirectional signaling between neurons and astrocytes that regulate both developing and mature synapses and uncovered specific pathways that determine where, when, and how glutamate receptors are produced and regulated to confer synaptic plasticity and learning/memory processes.