Neural Circuits for Nociception and Pain
University College London
Hundreds of thousands of nerve endings lie under our skin, sending sensory information to the central nervous system about environmental stimuli. These sensory neurons and their downstream neural circuits allow you to feel a gentle breeze or the touch of a loved one; they protect you from harmful stimuli - if you accidentally step on a nail or touch a hot pan.
Our lab studies how these neural circuits operate. How do these circuits guide protective responses so that they are rapid yet appropriate? How are they transformed in disease and become non-protective?
We use optogenetics, optochemical genetics, electrophysiology, multiphoton microscopy and other state-of-the-art techniques to address these questions.
Our lab studies how these neural circuits operate. How do these circuits guide protective responses so that they are rapid yet appropriate? How are they transformed in disease and become non-protective?
We use optogenetics, optochemical genetics, electrophysiology, multiphoton microscopy and other state-of-the-art techniques to address these questions.
News
October 2018: Jonathan joins the lab from UCSD for his MSc project - welcome!
September 2018: Flora returns to start her MSci project in the lab
August 2018: Elisa joins the lab for her PhD funded by the BBSRC - welcome!
July 2018: Ara attends FENS in Berlin
May 2018: Hugo joins the lab as a PhD rotation student funded by the Wellcome Trust
February 2018: Flora is accepted into the Janelia Undergraduate Scholars Program - congratulations!
February 2018: Karina joins the lab as a PhD rotation student funded by the MRC
October 2017: Liam speaks at Oxford's Sherrington Society
July 2017: Paper published in Cell Reports revealing the complexity of fast protective behaviors (also see PRF coverage)
June 2017: Flora and George join the lab as summer students
May 2017: Liam attends the first Meeting of Minds Conference at the Royal Society
September 2016: Liam talks at IASP in Japan
September 2016: Ara joins the lab from Paris
July 2016: Liam invited to reception at Buckingham Palace
June 2016: Lab opens
September 2018: Flora returns to start her MSci project in the lab
August 2018: Elisa joins the lab for her PhD funded by the BBSRC - welcome!
July 2018: Ara attends FENS in Berlin
May 2018: Hugo joins the lab as a PhD rotation student funded by the Wellcome Trust
February 2018: Flora is accepted into the Janelia Undergraduate Scholars Program - congratulations!
February 2018: Karina joins the lab as a PhD rotation student funded by the MRC
October 2017: Liam speaks at Oxford's Sherrington Society
July 2017: Paper published in Cell Reports revealing the complexity of fast protective behaviors (also see PRF coverage)
June 2017: Flora and George join the lab as summer students
May 2017: Liam attends the first Meeting of Minds Conference at the Royal Society
September 2016: Liam talks at IASP in Japan
September 2016: Ara joins the lab from Paris
July 2016: Liam invited to reception at Buckingham Palace
June 2016: Lab opens