Contact information
Research groups
Collaborators
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Richard Wade-Martins
Professor of Molecular Neuroscience
Mark Conway
PhD
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
In 2024, I joined the Cragg group on a Wellcome Trust-funded research project to investigate the physiological roles of Ca2+ in regulating dopamine transmission and its potentially toxic effects in Parkinson's disease. My research explores how Ca2+ entry impacts mitochondrial function, to understand why certain dopaminergic neurons are more vulnerable in Parkinson's. By comparing Ca2+ dynamics between vulnerable and resistant striatal regions using techniques such as voltammetry, sensor imaging, electrophysiology, and optogenetics, we aim to identify druggable targets with neuroprotective potential.
Before joining the Cragg group, I completed my PhD at the University of Leeds, where I studied the mechanisms of olfactory perception and learning. My research focused on how odour concentration and experience influence neural activity in the olfactory bulb and shape perception, employing a combination of behavioural assays, in vivo two-photon imaging, and machine learning.