CV Science

Manuel Mameli PhD in Neuroscience University of Geneva

Course and current status

2010 - Present: Lab Head "Synapses and pathophysiology of reward" Team, INSERM UMRS839, Institut du Fer a Moulin

2009 - 2010: Postdoctoral Fellow University of Geneva; Luscher Lab

2006-2009: PhD student University of Geneva; Luscher Lab

2002-2006: Research Fellow University of New Mexico; Valenzuela Lab

Scientific summary

The general interest of the lab is to dissect the neuronal circuits implicated in reward learning and to understand how drugs co-opt these connections.

Goal directed actions, aimed to obtain a reward, motivate our behaviors and influence our decisions. Midbrain dopamine neurons activity and therefore dopamine release are enhanced by external cues predicting a reward.

Lateral habenula (LHb) neurons play a central role in this regulation since they instruct dopamine neurons during reward learning.

A dysfunction in the output signal from the lateral habenula can be therefore at the basis of dysregulated dopamine signal and  underly neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by an abnormal reward signal (i.e. drug addiction).

Experimental approaches

We combine electrophysiology in vitro (patch-clamp), pharmacology, optogenetic approaches, and behavior modeling reward learning and drug-seeking.

The Institut du Fer a Moulin in Paris

The IFM is a dynamic scientific environment interested in signaling mechanisms involved in development and plasticity both in physiological and pathological conditions. A number of common facilities including bahvioral, imaging, viral injection platforms are provided with unlimited access.