Research

The main profile of the Laboratory is the study of glial cells and inflammatory processes in the central nervous system. For this purpose, we use acute or organotypic slices, neuronal and glial cultures and a variety of cell biological methods. The research methodology used includes phenotyping of cells, cell lines and organelles (cell surface markers, receptor expression, determination of inflammatory mediators, etc.), cell interaction and cell activity assays, cell and organelle isolation (MACS, FACS sorting), multiplex cytokine measurements by ELISA or cytometric bead array, microglial, astrocyte, neuronal and cultures or co-culture studies, application and development of biosensors and ex vivo and in vivo studies of neurovascular processes. One focus of our interest is the microglia, the major immunocompetent cell type of the brain. Using pharmacological, chemogenetic and genetic manipulations, we investigate the microglial mechanisms underlying inflammatory processes that are key in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular focus on cellular, subcellular processes and mediators of microglia-neuron and microglia-vascular interactions.