Department of Neuroscience

The laboratory's research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of glutamatergic synaptic plasticity in the central nervous system, in both physiological and pathological contexts. Our approach combines electrophysiological, molecular, and cellular techniques. We develop and apply cutting-edge electrophysiological techniques. We combine this physiological reading with behavioral measurements, biochemical measurements, and image analysis. We work with mouse models of diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, cellular models such as human cell cultures, and clinical data.

Our laboratory is part of the UMONS research institutes for HEALTH sciences and technologies and BIOSCIENCES and participates in national and international collaborations. Its research is supported by the Alzheimer's Research Foundation, the Alice Copette Fund, the Walloon Region, the F.R.S.-FNRS, and the European FEDER program.

In addition to its preclinical research activities, the laboratory has also founded the Interdisciplinary Research Center on the Psychophysiology and Electrophysiology of Cognition (CiPSE) in order to address complex cognitive processes from a broad perspective and combine several areas of expertise such as biology, psychology, medical sciences, and engineering (data mining, AI). It has also developed a Master's degree in biomedical sciences specializing in neuroscience and covering three main areas: brain biology, computation and technology applied to brain signals, and clinical and cognitive neuroscience.

The laboratory is an active member of the AdHuCell platform dedicated to complex and innovative three-dimensional (3D) cell culture methods. It develops human cell cultures (iPS differentiated into cortical neurons, astrocytes, and microglia) to study neuroprotective and neurotoxic mechanisms in a physiological or pathological context.