Department

Department of Neurochemistry

Head

Martin Horák, PhD

Website

http://www.iem.cas.cz/en/research/departments/department-of-neurochemistry/

Project title

Delineating the mechanisms that regulate NMDA receptors in mammalian neurons

Supervisor

Martin Horák, PhD

Project description

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are a subclass of glutamate ion channels that play a critical role in excitatory neurotransmission in the mammalian brain. For this PhD project, you will study the molecular mechanisms that i) regulate the early transport of NMDARs from the endoplasmic reticulum to the neuronal surface, and ii) regulate the surface mobility and synaptic localization of individual NMDAR subtypes. To do this, you will combine advanced molecular biology approaches including lentiviral preparation, biochemistry including Western blotting and co-immunoprecipitation, live microscopy including quantum dot tracking of NMDARs, super-resolution microscopy approaches including dSTORM and SIM combined with nanobodies, and electrophysiology in autaptic hippocampal neurons from unique knock-out mouse models.

Candidate profile

M.Sc. (Mgr.) degree or equivalent in (bio)chemistry, molecular/cellular biology, neuroscience, physiology or medicine; strong interest in conducting basic research in the field of glutamate receptors.

Suggested reading

• Kolcheva et al., Neuropharmacology 189:108528 (2021).
• Skrenkova et al., Scientific Reports 10(1):18576 (2020).
• Hemelikova et al., Neuropharmacology 157:107671 (2019).
• Skrenkova et al., Scientific Reports 9(1):12303 (2019).
• Kaniakova et al., Neuropharmacology 140:217-232 (2018).
• Skrenkova et al., Front Mol Neurosci 11:188 (2018).
• Lichnerova et al., J Biol Chem 290(30):18379-90 (2015).
• Kaniakova et al., J Biol Chem 287(31):26423-34 (2012).
• Horak et al., J Neurosci 28(13):3500-9 (2008).

Application form