We are aiming to understand the mechanisms by which multimeric ligand gated ion channels are assembled, quality controlled, and transported en route to the synapse.
Of particular interest is the question how this transport is regulated and how these receptors are trafficked and sorted within the Golgi and early endosomal system.
Missorting and misfunction of these receptors have been implicated in various neurological diseases such as Schizophrenia, Parkinson´s, and Alzheimer´s disease.
To find new molecules involved in these processes, we take advantage of the nematode C. elegans as a main model system, and use a combination of genetic, cell biological, and biochemical approaches as well as electro-physiology and electron-microscopy.