Geneva University Neurocenter

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Anthony Holtmaat

Affiliations: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Neurosciences

Group name: Structural synaptic plasticity

Domains: Sensory and Motor Systems, Development and Plasticity

Keywords: brain networks, cranial window implants, synapse, synaptic plasticity

Department of Basic Neurosciences

Research activities

Our laboratory is interested in structural and morphological aspects of synaptic plasticity in the adult brain. We are testing the hypothesis that changes in the connectivity between neurons, through synapse formation and elimination, constitute a basis for training and experience-dependent adaptations in cortical network function. To this end we image cortical neurons in fluorescent transgenic mice in vivo and are able to track individual dendritic spines and axonal boutons over weeks while the animal receives new sensory experiences or loses sensory inputs. In addition we measure the molecular stability and dynamics of individual synapses by following the transport and diffusion of synaptic proteins carrying a fluorescent tag. Together these studies will deepen our understanding of how the nervous system is able to, on one hand maintain its synaptic network, and on the other hand subtly change its connectivity, in order to accommodate the animal’s memory storage as well as its ability to continuously adapt to an ever-changing environment.

Latest publications

Dynamic perceptual feature selectivity in primary somatosensory cortex upon reversal learning.

Chéreau R , Bawa T , Fodoulian L , Carleton A , Pagès S , Holtmaat A

Nature communications - 06 2020

Temporal Sharpening of Sensory Responses by Layer V in the Mouse Primary Somatosensory Cortex.

Vecchia D , Beltramo R , Vallone F , Chéreau R , Forli A , Molano-Mazón M , Bawa T , Binini N , Moretti C , Holtmaat A , Panzeri S , Fellin T

Current biology : CB - May 2020

The mesoSPIM initiative: open-source light-sheet microscopes for imaging cleared tissue.

Voigt FF , Kirschenbaum D , Platonova E , Pagès S , Campbell RAA , Kastli R , Schaettin M , Egolf L , van der Bourg A , Bethge P , Haenraets K , Frézel N , Topilko T , Perin P , Hillier D , Hildebrand S , Schueth A , Roebroeck A , Roska B , Stoeckli ET , Pizzala R , Renier N , Zeilhofer HU , Karayannis T , Ziegler U , Batti L , Holtmaat A , Lüscher C , Aguzzi A , Helmchen F

Nature methods - 11 2019

Higher-Order Thalamocortical Inputs Gate Synaptic Long-Term Potentiation via Disinhibition.

Williams LE , Holtmaat A

Neuron - 01 2019

See the complete list of the publications

Hide the members of the Lab

Prof. Anthony Holtmaat

Group leader

CMU - C08.1541.A
+41 22 379 54 28
anthony.holtmaat@unige.ch

Tanika Bawa

Graduate student

CMU - E08.2650.A
+41 22 379 54 45
tanika.bawa@unige.ch

Federico Brandalise

Postdoc

CMU - D08.1953.A
+41 22 379 54 69
federico.brandalise@unige.ch

Ronan Chereau

Postdoc

CMU - D08.1953.A
+41 22 379 54 69
ronan.chereau@unige.ch

Giuseppe Chindemi

Postdoc

CMU - C08.1536.A
+41 22 379 53 55
giuseppe.chindemi@unige.ch

Elodie Husi

Lab technician

CMU - E08.2650.A
+41 22 379 54 45
elodie.husi@unige.ch

Kok Sin Lee

Assistant

CMU - E08.2650.A
+41 22 379 54 45
kok.lee@unige.ch

Foivos Markopoulos

Scientific collaborator

CMU - C08.1536.A
+41 22 37 95 355
foivos.markopoulos@unige.ch

Iryna Nikonenko

Scientific collaborator

CMU - D08.1545.B
+41 22 37 95 424
iryna.nikonenko@unige.ch

Stéphane Pages

Scientific collaborator

CMU - D08.1953.A
+41 22 379 54 69
stephane.pages@unige.ch

Elodie Rey

Graduate student

CMU - E08.2650.A
+41 22 379 54 45
elodie.rey@unige.ch

Contact

Faculté de médecine
Université de Genève
Email: Anthony.Holtmaat@unige.ch