Lisman Laboratory Updated

Nonna Otmakhova

I have been a researcher in Lisman lab for many years. My field of interest is monoamines and NMDA channels in different synaptic systems of CA1 hippocampal field, which has relevance to schizophrenia. Currently, I oversee administrative issues in the lab and coordinate one of John’s project for the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. We are investigating the possibility to treat memory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease by controlling hippocampal monoamines on mouse model, Tg2576.

Nikolai Otmakhov - Research Scientist II

I have been working with John Lisman since 1994. My interest has been in investigating molecular mechanisms of memory and a specific role of CaMKII in that process. Main methods are acute or cultured hippocampal slices in combination with multiple electrophysiological and imaging approaches: whole-cell patching, extracellular filed potentials, confocal and two-photon fluorescent imaging. DNAs for fluorescently tagged proteins are introduced into cells by single-cell electroporation. We use custom-built two-photon system allowing to preform simultaneous local glutamate uncaging and FLIM/FRET imaging. With this system we can monitor protein-protein interactions and molecular conformational changes (kinase activation) in single spines during induction and maintenance of synaptic memory (long-term potentiation, LTP). I am involved in projects 1, 2 and 3 ( see research)

HyunJae Pi

The overarching theme of my research group is to provide neural mechanisms underlying symptoms of psychiatric disorders.

The symptoms that we currently investigate are avolition (a negative symptom in schizophrenia), impaired working memory and severe impulsivity. Using genetically engineered mice as a model system and diverse tools in contemporary neuroscience such as quantitative behavior, computational phenotyping, viral neuronal tracing, in vivo optrode recording, and optogenetic/chemogenetic manipulation, we not only try to dissect neural mechanisms but also guide a potential therapeutic direction.

Vernon Clarke

Research associate investigates the role of CaMKII activity and subunit exchange in LTP maintenance.

Cong Zhang

Post-doctoral associate. Works on LTP maintenance project using two-photon FLIM/FRET recording.

Roshan Nanu - grad student

BS in Physics, California Institute of Technology, 2013; MS in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience, Univ. of Texas at Dallas, 2014.

I am a PhD student in the Lisman, Jadhav and Katz labs studying the mechanisms underlying schizophrenia and taste learning. Outside of lab, I enjoy frivolous pursuits such as Call Of Duty and attempting to empirically find the best ice cream parlor in the greater Boston area.

Nathan A. Schneider- research technician

Nathan is a recent graduate from Brandeis University investigating thalamic involvement in schizophrenia. He studies motivation behavior and sensory gating in both wildtype and Df1 schizophrenic model mice.

Rikki Kephart - research technician

Rikki is a recent graduate from University of Iowa. She is mostly responsible for molecular biological needs in the lab.

Catherine Lin - undergraduate student

Catherine is investigating the role of sensory gating deficits in Schizophrenia. She is studying prepulse inhibition and cFos expression in mice to determine physiological differences in brain regions.

Faiyaz Rahamin - undergraduate student

Faiyaz is investigating working memory deficits in schizophrenia. He studies mouse behavior in a Y-maze task and optogenetically stimulates the brain to alter memory.