University of California-Los Angeles · BiochemistrySynaptic Connectivity Lab
S. Lawrence Zipursky · Los Angeles, California
Research Focus
Dr. S. Lawrence Zipursky's lab at UCLA studies how neurons in the brain form specific connections, which are crucial for behavior. By using the fruit fly Drosophila, the lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that dictate how different synapses are formed and how neurons choose their partners during the connection process. This research aims to understand and ultimately address the issues related to neurological and psychiatric disorders resulting from faulty synaptic connections.
synaptic specificityDrosophilaneuron connectionsmolecular mechanismsneurotransmitter receptors
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the molecular basis of synaptic specificity at GluCl synapses in T4 dendrites.
AIM 02Explore the role of the Side-VI protein in synaptic specificity at nAChR5-containing synapses.
AIM 03Examine the Turtle protein's role in Rdl-containing synapses in T4 dendrites.
Skills the Lab Values
light microscopyprotein taggingaffinity purificationmass spectrometryimmunohistochemistry
Output against the department
Publications360top 16% of dept.65th of 402
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations20ktop 21% of dept.83rd of 402
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.