Graham Ellis-Davies, PhD
- PROFESSOR | Neuroscience
- PROFESSOR | Pharmacological Sciences
Research Topics:
Alzheimer's Disease, Biophotonics, Brain Imaging, Imaging, Synaptic Plasticity, Transgenic Mice
I spent several years as a postdoc in the Department of Physiology at the University of Pennsylvania. During that time my research changed from being purely focused on photochemistry to calcium regulated physiology. I started my own my own lab in 1995, and since then I have become interested in using photochemical methods to study neuronal plasticity and neuronal degeneration.
Visit Graham Ellis-Davies Laboratory for more information.
Multi-Disciplinary Training Areas
Neuroscience [NEU], Pharmacology and Therapeutics Discovery [PTD]Education
BSc and PhD, University of Reading UK
New topic
Ellis - Davies Laboratory, Optical Methods & Neurophysiology
Light has been used to study cells since their discovery at the end of the 17th century. The development of modern ultrafast lasers and transgenic fluorescent proteins provides the means to monitor (sub)cellular events in vivo. Such microscopy allows us to see into the brain at chosen intervals without disturbing it. Detection is so sensitive we can repeatedly pick out single synapses. Our approach is just like like taking daily (or weekly) photographs of a plant coming into bloom: time-lapse snap-shots enable you to construct a picture of the build up of a complex system step by step, in real time. We are currently applying this method to murine models of Alzheimer's disease, in order to study the causes and consequences of neurodegeneration during disease progression.
A second line of research is the use of light to control cell function. We use organic chemistry to construct photochemically labile molecules (caged compounds) that disgorge their contents upon illumination, so activating a selected biological target. We are privileged to collaborate with several labs around the world that use caged compounds to study cellular function, including Kamran Khodakhah (Einstein), Erst Niggli (Bern), Phil Haydon (Tufts), George Augustine (Duke), Haruo Kasai (Tokyo), Brain MacVicar (Vancouver), Ed Levitan (Pitt), and Dwight Bergles (Hopkins).
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Dr. Ellis-Davies did not report having any of the following types of financial relationships with industry during 2021 and/or 2022: consulting, scientific advisory board, industry-sponsored lectures, service on Board of Directors, participation on industry-sponsored committees, equity ownership valued at greater than 5% of a publicly traded company or any value in a privately held company. Please note that this information may differ from information posted on corporate sites due to timing or classification differences.
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