Research Interests

My primary interest is to study the operation of the input nuclei of the basal ganglia, the striatum – a structure of critical importance for selection of behaviour and motor learning. I investigate the electrophysiological properties and synaptic interaction within the striatum of lampreys. I perform simultaneous recordings of several neurons with whole-cell patch-clamp techniques to unravel the striatal microcircuitry and study the neuronal mechanisms of synaptic dynamics and plasticity. 

In addition, I will explore the role of the histaminergic modulatory system that exhibits prominent striatal projections that are conserved throughout vertebrate evolution.This is done with electrophysiological, neuropharmacological and morphological techniques while recording from neurons in lamprey striatal brain slices. Mathematical modelling and computer simulations will also be utilized in parallel with the experiments.

My supervisors are Dr Martin Wikström, Professor Sten Grillner, Dr Gilad Silberberg and Professor Jeanette Hellgren and I work at the Nobel Institute for Neurophysiology and Stockhom Brain Institute.