Local cyclic AMP signalling in synaptic plasticity

Matthew is a structural neurobiologist who is interested in understanding how second messengers control changes in synaptic connections between neurons that are fundamental to learning. Second messengers, including cyclic AMP, can alter synaptic strength in different ways within a single neuron depending on the primary stimulus. Matthew's laboratory uses methods from structural biology, synthetic biology and electrophysiology to understand how neuronal proteins are organised at the molecular level to respond to local rises in second messengers. In this way, his laboratory aims to fill fundamental gaps in knowledge at a molecular level that is informative for pharmaceutical development.