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Sarah Melzer
Ass. Prof. Sarah Melzer, PhD

Division of Neuronal Cell Biology (Center for Brain Research)
Position: Assistant Professor

Location: Spitalgasse 4
Phone: +43 (0)1 40160-34312
E-Mail: sarah.melzer@meduniwien.ac.at

Further Information

Research Area

Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms, Neuropeptides, Synaptic Transmission

Research Interests

Anxiety, Appetitive Behavior, Association Learning, Avoidance Learning, Cerebral Cortex, Cognition, Electrical Synapses, Fear, Interneurons, Memory, Neuropeptides, Prefrontal Cortex, Receptors, Neuropeptide

Grant(s)

Abstract

In our new research group at MedUni Vienna, we seek to understand the key molecular and neuronal mechanisms that underlie cognition and emotion. We use a broad range of imaging, recording, genetic and behavioral techniques to understand how neuronal circuits, synaptic transmission and neuromodulation contribute to fear, anxiety, motivation, learning and memory. A special interest of our lab is the investigation of neuropeptides, signaling molecules that alter neuronal physiology, brain circuits and synapses, often in context-dependent manners. Our aim is to discover new functions of these neuropeptidergic modulatory mechanisms.

Techniques

Fiber photometry, Slice electrophysiology, Behavioral testing, Stereotactic injections, In vitro imaging, CRISPR/Cas9, Optogenetics, Chemogenetics, Immuno-/In situ staining, Pharmacology, Retrograde tracing

Selected publications

  1. Melzer S, Newmark E, Mizuno G, Hyun M, Philson A, Quiroli E, Righetti B, Gregory M, Huang K, Levasseur J, Tian L, Sabatini B (2021) Bombesin-like peptide recruits disinhibitory cortical circuits and enhances fear memories Cell, 184 (22): 5622-5634.e25
  2. Melzer S, Monyer H (2020) Diversity and function of corticopetal and corticofugal GABAergic projection neurons Nat. Rev. Neurosci., 21 (9): 499-515
  3. Melzer S, Gil M, Koser D, Michael M, Huang K, Monyer H (2017) Distinct Corticostriatal GABAergic Neurons Modulate Striatal Output Neurons and Motor Activity Cell Rep, 19 (5): 1045-1055
  4. Leitner F, Melzer S, Lütcke H, Pinna R, Seeburg P, Helmchen F, Monyer H (2016) Spatially segregated feedforward and feedback neurons support differential odor processing in the lateral entorhinal cortex Nature Neurosci, 19 (7): 935-944
  5. Melzer S, Michael M, Caputi A, Eliava M, Fuchs E, Whittington M, Monyer H (2012) Long-Range–Projecting GABAergic Neurons Modulate Inhibition in Hippocampus and Entorhinal Cortex Science, 335 (6075): 1506-1510

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