This is a collaborative international project with the laboratory of Anthony Holtmaat (University of Geneva, Switzerland), funded by the Weave cross-European initiative. The project is at the interface of the expertise of the De Wit lab (molecular mechanisms of synaptic connectivity) and of the Holtmaat lab (synaptic integration of sensory input and context in cortical circuits).

The project will unravel molecular mechanisms of synaptic specificity in cortical and thalamocortical circuits. Our recent work has shown that higher-order thalamocortical inputs and cortical inputs to pyramidal neurons in the somatosensory cortex display striking differences in their synaptic properties, even when intermingled on the same cortical dendrite. This project will explore the molecular mechanisms that mediate this specificity and test how these regulate structure and function of higher-order thalamocortical inputs in cortical circuits. The applicant will use a broad array of technologies including super-resolution imaging, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, viral vectors, conditional knockout mice, optogenetics, and in vivo imaging.

The successful candidate will be based in Leuven, Belgium. The two labs will interact regularly via zoom and in-person meetings, and there will be several visits to the Holtmaat lab to transfer skills and exchange results during this project.