Noa Lipstein: Towards a molecular code for synaptic function

We are pleased to invite you to the second Neuroscience Seminar of 2026 by Noa Lipstein from FMP in Berlin (https://leibniz-fmp.de/research/research-section/molecular-physiology-c…)

Title: Towards a molecular code for synaptic function

Synapses are highly diverse and dynamic units of neuronal communication. Our research aims to uncover how functional synaptic diversity is encoded by the molecular composition of the synapse. To this end, we have developed proximity labeling strategies that enable subtype- and subcompartment-specific profiling of synaptic proteomes, both in vitro and in genetically modified mice. These approaches allow precise localization of synaptic proteins and thus the systematic interrogation of their roles in shaping synaptic function. We apply this framework to dissect the molecular organization of the presynaptic active zone, with a particular focus on the synaptic vesicle priming protein UNC13A (Munc13-1). We recently showed that reduced UNC13A expression levels underlie a neurodevelopmental disorder, and independent studies have established decreased UNC13A levels as a major risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). To uncover the mechanisms that regulate UNC13A abundance at the active zone, we leveraged our proximity labeling approaches and identified a cAMP-dependent regulatory protein network that, based on preliminary data, may control UNC13A expression and stability.

Host: Hanna Hörnberg

Zoom: https://mdc-berlin.zoom-x.de/j/68702903581?pwd=AsvtYJgAbqyNlZG8mJwiFrfUlDRfYE.1