Boston University · BiologySerotonin and Neural Circuitry Lab
Michael L Wallace · Boston, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Michael L. Wallace's lab at Boston University Medical Campus focuses on understanding how serotonin influences brain circuitry, especially within the lateral habenula, a region involved in evaluating emotional outcomes. Their research aims to identify specific neuron types affected by serotonin and how these interactions may contribute to conditions like depression, particularly after chronic stress. By exploring these neuron-type specific responses, the lab seeks to uncover insights that could lead to improved treatments for depression and related disorders.
serotoninlateral habenulachronic stressdepressionneural circuitselectrophysiologyneuron typesSSRIbehavioral neuroscience
Research Aims
3AIM 01Identify the neuron-type(s) in the lateral habenula that exhibit burst-firing in vitro and in vivo.
AIM 02Determine how serotonin modulates neuron-types and local connectivity within the lateral habenula.
AIM 03Define the neuron-types in the lateral habenula required for chronic stress-induced anhedonia.
Skills the Lab Values
electrophysiologysingle-cell transcriptome sequencingin vitro experimentsin vivo animal modelsbehavioral phenotypingimmunohistochemistrygenetic manipulationdata analysis in neuroscienceneuroscience modeling
Output against the department
Publications48bottom 11% of dept.920th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.6kbottom 11% of dept.924th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.