One of the primary interest of our research group is neurovascular coupling, the fine-tuning signalling that enables an adequate, specially restricted blood supply in accordance to metabolic demand of neuronal tissue. Disturbances in neurovascular coupling have detrimental consequences for brain integrity and neuronal function, as it seen in stroke, chronic stress, major depression and migraine. Our laboratory aims to uncover the key molecular mechanisms behind neurovascular coupling, and highlight their significance in pathologies.

The group is working in a close proximity with several groups in DANDRITE, CFIN, as well as with Cardiovascular Phenotyping Core Facility at the Department of Biomedicine. We are focused on in-vivo Laser Speckle Contrast brain imaging on anaesthetized and awake mouse models. Changes in neurovascular responses to sensory stimulations and after stroke are assessed. These further studied in brain slices (parenchymal arteriole diameter and intracellular Ca²⁺ changes in response to electric field stimulation) and in isolated blood vessels ex-vivo. The molecular background is studied by proteomics and spatial transcriptomics.