The chronobiology of somatosensation

我们的研究小组研究调节感觉神经元模式（即对机械，热和伤害性刺激的反应）的神经免疫相互作用。这些神经元的不同子集表达的离子通道介导了许多这些效应，并且最近发现免疫因子（包括细胞因子/趋化因子、金属蛋白酶和生长因子）的存在会直接和间接改变离子通道。在这个新的发现补助金提交，我们将建立在我的实验室最近的发现，研究如何时间生物学节律可以调节神经免疫通信和改变体感行为在体内和体外感觉神经元的活动。

Our research group investigates neuro-immune interactions that modulate sensory neuron modalities (i.e. responses to mechanical, thermal and nociceptive stimuli). Ion channels expressed by distinct subsets of these neurons mediate many of these effects, and have recently been found to be directly and indirectly altered by the presence of immune factors including cytokines/chemokines, metalloproteases, and growth factors. In this new Discovery Grant submission, we will build on recent discoveries in my laboratory to investigate how chronobiological rhythms can regulate neuro-immune communication and alter somatosensory behaviour in vivo and sensory neuron activity in vitro.