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| Name |
Turrigiano, Gina |
| Location
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Brandeis University |
| Primary Field
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Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience |
 Election Citation
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Turrigiano has been instrumental in establishing that homeostatic mechanisms are critical in maintaining stable neuronal and circuit function in the brain. Her description of "synaptic scaling," a mechanism that can stabilize activity and rebalance the effects of Hebbian plasticity, has changed our understanding of synaptic plasticity in the brain. |
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Research Interests
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Turrigiano studies the experience-dependent development of neocortex, with a focus on the cellular plasticity mechanisms that allow the refinement of neocortical microcircuitry during critical periods of development. In particular her work has uncovered a family of homeostatic plasticity mechanisms that work together to maintain the integrity of neural circuits during periods of intense synaptic rearrangments, such as occur during development and learning. Her lab employs a variety of approaches to tackle these problems, including electrophysiology, imaging, and optogenetics, using both in vitro and in vivo preparations of the rodent visual cortex. |
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