Redox Biology and Brain Sensing

Overview

1. To unravel the pathways which govern redox regulation of cell functions with implications for aging and neurodegeneration, namely the molecular mechanisms inherent to neurometabolic and neurovascular coupling axis, that critically involve free radicals and oxidants, in particular nitric oxide.
2. To design and develop novel and improved micro(bio)sensors for real-time monitoring of neuromodulators, neurotransmitters and metabolic markers in brain tissue ranging from slice preparations to conscious freely-moving rodents.
3. To understand how the nitrate:nitrite:nitric oxide pathway as affected by dietary compounds (such as polyphenols) and ensued regulatory process with impact in in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and physiology.

Resources

The lab is equipped with highly specialized equipment for direct measurement of neurochemicals (nitric oxide, glutamate, ascorbate, dopamine, serotonin, etc.) and metabolic substrates/intermediates (oxygen, glucose, lactate, etc.) in vitro, ex vivo (tissue preparations, cell cultures, tissue homogenates) as well as in vivo. These include electrode and biosensors-based microarrays for brain stereotaxic insertion in vivo and chemiluminescent detector for nitric oxide in the gas phase. The lab has full-equipped setups for in vivo (anesthetized and freely moving) electrochemical recordings in the brain of rodents. Furthermore, the lab is also equipped with a chemiluminescence set up for detection of nitric oxide in the gaseous phase and nitroso and nitrated derivatives, and a high resolution respirometer (Oroboros Oxygraph 2k Instrument) which allows evaluation of oxygen consumption rates in closed chamber in preparations ranging from mitochondria and homogenates to tissue biopsies and slices.