Department: Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology
Head: Pollak, Daniela, Univ. Prof. Dr.
Research Area:
Neurobiological basis of neuropsychiatric disorders
Description:
Focus of research
My laboratory is investigating the neurobiological basis underlying psychiatric disorders, focussing on mood and anxiety disorders, as well as addiction. We mainly employ the mouse as a model system, where we use established paradigms to induce behavioural states mimicking human mental illness in wild-type animals as well as employing genetically modified and selectively bred mouse strains. Using the mouse model we carry our analyses from the molecular, to the cellular and behavioural level, aiming to elucidate some of the pathomechanisms involved in some of the most debilitating human diseases. Enhancing our understanding of the etiology of these very complex psychiatric disorders is a prerequisite for the development of novel therapeutic interventions.
Techniques
Full-spectrum of behavioral analysis in mice, disease paradigms, basic molecular, biochemical and cell biology techniques, histology and immune-histochemistry, conventional laser and confocal microscopy, tools to investigate neurotransmitter transporter function and epigenetic regulatory principles
Members:
Gundacker, Anna, MS.c.
Zambon, Alice, MS.c
Selected Publications of Principle Investigator: