Nashmi Neurolab

Welcome to Dr. Nashmi's Neuro Lab

Our goal is to understand the role nicotinic receptors play in modulating neurotransmission in the central nervous system and to elucidate their role in a variety of nervous system disorders.

Research

A major interest in the lab is to examine the role of nicotinic receptors in modulating neurotransmission in the CNS. We employ a variety of techniques including patch-clamp electrophysiology and optogenetics. We are also interested in imaging and quantifying the subcellular localization of nicotinic receptors in specific neural circuits using a combination of approaches, including mouse genetic engineering to examine fluorescently tagged receptors in knock-in mice and spectral confocal imaging.

A significant effort in the lab is devoted to understanding signalling pathways and molecules that interact with nicotinic receptors and alter their function and expression. The spectroscopic technique, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), as well as proteomic approaches will be used to examine the protein-protein interactions and post-translational modifications.

We are interested in how dysregulation and dysfunction of nicotinic receptors mediate specific nervous system disorders such as nicotine addiction. Specifically, we examine for altered cholinergic neurotransmission, expression and function of nicotinic receptors in specific neurons in the brain. We are also collaborating with Dr. Kerry Delaney to examine altered nicotinic signalling in a mouse model of Rett syndrome. Nicotinic receptor dysfunction have been implicated in other neurological disorders including epilepsy, ADHD, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.

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