The mechanisms controlling the balance of excitation and inhibition in the nervous system are poorly understood. Recent studies from our lab and others suggest that homeostatic mechanisms monitor and regulate the levels of cellular excitation in the nervous system, and a model for the homeostatic regulation of neural excitability has been developed at the Drosophila neuromuscular synapse.

For my research, I am interested in addressing how neurons maintain their electrical signaling properties during development and throughout life. To do this, I am using electrophysiology to characterize homeostatic regulation of synaptic function in greater detail. I am also combining Drosophila genetics and electrophysiology to isolate new genes involved in homeostasis.