Current revision as of 04:23, 23 August 2011

Molecule to Cognition unit

The long-term goal of this unit is to elucidate the molecular and synaptic bases of learning and memory and to establish how alterations in synaptic plasticity contribute to neurological and psychiatric disorders. This unit will study how genetic/molecular/synaptic/neuronal/local circuit-level brain mechanisms enable cognitive faculties such as memory, learning, emotion, and sensation by integrating neurometric techniques at different depths with psychometric techniques such as maze learning tasks and behavioral genetics. Bong-Kiun Kaang will lead this unit joined by Graham Collingridge, Min Zhuo and Sang Jeong Kim.

Bong-Kiun Kaang, Dept of Biological Sciences, SNU Homepage

Bong-Kiun Kaang

• One of the key leading neurobiologists in Korea with expertise on the molecular mechanism of synaptic plasticity and memory from multiple model systems such as Aplysia and mouse.
• His recent work on the molecular, cellular mechanism of synaptic plasticity and fear memory is providing a new view, unveiling novel, original molecular mechanisms of memory.
• High impact publications in Cell, Science, Neuron, PNAS.
• Papers on the functional implication of cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway in Aplysia neurons, in collaboration with Dr. Eric Kandel (year 2000 Nobel Laureate, also his lifelong collaborator), had a great impact on molecular neurobiology field (Neuron, 1993; Science, 1993).
• Director of National Creative Research Initiative Center for memory; Editor-in-chief of on-line neuroscience journal, Molecular Brain.

Graham Leon Collingridge FRS, MRC Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, U of Bristol Homepage

Graham Leon Collingridge FRS

• Investigating the synaptic basis of learning and memory with an emphasis on the role of glutamate receptors in hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD).
• He established the principle that NMDA receptors trigger plasticity and AMPA receptors mediate a modifiable synaptic response, and this principle has now been extended to many other synapses in the brain and is regarded as one of the most influential discoveries in the field of synaptic function.
• Discovered that NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission is plastic; synaptic plasticity is expressed by changes in AMPA receptor function; both inhibitory and facilitatory autoreceptor mechanisms contribute to the acute and long-term regulation of synaptic transmission.
• High impact publications including Collingridge et al(1983, J of Physiology, over 1,500 citations) and Bliss & Collingridge (1993, Nature, over 5,000 citations).
• Numerous prestigious awards including Elected Fellow, The Royal Society (2001); Elected President, British Neuroscience Association (2007). The Santiago Grisolia Prize (2008).

Min Zhuo, Dept of Physiology, U of Toronto Homepage

Min Zhuo

• His lifelong works on the molecular mechanism of chronic pain and the role of ACC in chronic pain is highly creative and exceptional.
• His original findings about the role of CNS on the generation of chronic pain sensation shed light on the field of chronic pain research.
• Expert on brain pharmacology and molecular mechanism of chronic pain (consulting experience with Big Pharmas such as Pfizer)
• Having high-profile publication records (4 Nature, 3 Nature Neuroscience, 5 Neuron, 1 Science, and total SCI 157 papers within 20 years of research)
• His research goal is to unravel the molecular mechanism of chronic pain and emotion-related brain disorders.
• Founding editor and Editor-in-chief of online neuroscience journal Molecular Pain (Impact factor 4.13, top 20% among Neuroscience journals) and Molecular Brain.

Inah Lee, PhD, Dept. of Psychology, SNU Homepage

Inah Lee

• His research aim is to elucidate biological mechanisms of episodic memory and rule learning using electrophysiology, behavioral neuroscience, neuropharmacology and computational modeling.
• High impact publications in high-profile journals such as Nature, Nature Neuroscience and Neuron.
• His work in Nature (2004) provided, for the first time, that neurons in the hippocampus perform a computational function, pattern completion, that had only been suggested by theoreticians and computational modelers for more than 30 years without any experimental proof.
• His publication record within a short period of time of 7 years is exceptional in the field of systems neuroscience involving animal experiments.