I am interested in the mechanisms that control synaptic growth and, in particular, the homeostatic mechanisms that regulate synaptic function. I am currently characterizing a gene that was isolated in a screen for genes involved in synaptic homeostasis. Loss-of-function mutations in this gene, diphthong, cause a dramatic synaptic overgrowth. We hypothesize that this protein is either a novel synaptic growth inhibitor, or that this protein regulates the activity of known growth factors.