George Spirou
University of South Florida, FL·Neuroscience
As the young brain wires itself, neural activity decides which connections between neurons (synapses) grow strong and which are pruned away. Much of this activity arises spontaneously, before the senses are fully working.
- Fields
Neuroscience
Physiology
Biology
- Topics
calyx of Held
neural circuit development
synapse formation
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Feb 2029
What they work on
- Determine which steps in principal neuron maturation depend on spontaneous activity by suppressing activity at the calyx of Held synapse and tracking maturation day by day.
- Chronicle daily changes in ion channel expression and other biophysical properties of the calyx of Held and principal neurons during circuit strengthening and pruning.
- Reconstruct large electron microscopy volumes to map the overall layout and subcellular detail of the developing calyx of Held circuit.
- Test how activity-driven calcium entry and phosphorylation of CREB, a gene-activating transcription factor, link neural activity to maturation programs.
More about the research
Mistakes in this early wiring are linked to intellectual and social disabilities, including the hearing-related features seen in autism spectrum disorders.
Why it matters
Understanding how spontaneous activity builds correct circuits could offer a roadmap for understanding severe developmental disorders that arise from problems in early brain wiring, including autism spectrum disorders with auditory features. It could also eventually inform efforts to reorganize and reconnect neurons in mature brains affected by injury or disease.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Guy Perkins
University of Arizona, AZ·Neuroscience
Image aging spiral ganglion neurons and their connections from inner-ear hair cells to the cochlear nucleus with serial block-face electron microscopy (SBEM), looking for loss of myelin and synapses.
Arnaldo Carreira-Rosario
Duke University, NC·Neuroscience·Early-career
Identify the neurons that start spontaneous network activity in the Drosophila larval locomotor circuit and the mechanism by which they trigger it.
Amy Lee
University of Texas at Austin, TX·Neuroscience
Generate renewable monoclonal antibodies and nanobodies that specifically recognize α2δ-4, the protein encoded by the retinal disease gene CACNA2D4, for electron and super-resolution light microscopy.
The school
University of South Florida: 20 labs on PI Pages, $522M a year on research, 305 research doctorates a year.
Reach out
A start for your email. Fill in the brackets.