With the turn of the century and the decade of the brain, understanding the complexity of the nervous system has witnessed a great leap forward with the introduction and development of new concepts, methodologies and techniques in molecular biology, molecular genetics, cellular and system electrophysiology, neurocomputation and neuroimaging. From genes and morphoregulatory molecules identified originally in Drosophila and C. elegans, through those generated by the human genome project, new clues have emerged to understand the regulation of brain structure and function at the molecular and cellular levels.

A myriad of interdisciplinary projects spanning from unraveling the role of single molecules through the understanding of integrative functions of learning and behaviour in humans is carried out by nearly 20 groups of independent researchers at the Department of Neurobiology. To elucidate molecular, biochemical and electrophysiological characteristics of differentiating and mature nerve cells, in vitro model systems, such as transformed cell lines of neuronal and glial origin and primary cerebellar, hippocampal and cortex nerve cells, are employed. Among the components of the nervous system explored at the cellular and subcellular levels, surface membrane components, specific enzymes, neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, growth factors, neuroreceptors, lipid components, ionic channels and cytoskeletal constituents are investigated. Animal model systems from the electric fish and toad through chicks, rodents and primates are used at elucidating in molecular, cellular and system terms the structure, development, function, plasticity as well as regeneration, oxidative stress and aging of the nervous system. Algorithms for synaptic plasticity between groups of neurons, and the role of dendritic ion channels in synaptic input and processing of information are studied. The importance of the cross talk between the immune and the nervous system particularly during lesion, is elucidated.

The groups studying the brain at the system level strive to understand functional organization of the mammalian visual system. Using track tracing methods, the rules governing the interconnections in visual cortex are unraveled. Behavioural studies focus on principles of learning, cortical information processing, learning disabilities and addiction. Functional brain imaging of human visual cortex, particularly object vision areas are examined. Psychophysical approaches are used to define processes involved in image segmentation, learning, and memory skill acquisition, motor control and language.

E. Ahissar

Adaptive perceptual processing: Principles of thalamo-cortical processing and its formation by experience

1. Encoding, decoding and representations of vibrissal touch in the rat: Electrophysiology, neuropharmacology and modelling.

2. Encoding, sensory-motor control and learning of manual touch in humans: Psychophysics.

3. Neuronal plasticity underlying learning in the somatosensory ("barrel") cortex and its modulation by acetylcholine: Electrophysiology & neuropharmacology.

B. Attali

Molecular design and function of potassium channels

1. Molecular design, stoichiometry and gating of the IsK channel complex.

2. Potassium channels in myelinating glial cells: Molecular structure, role in myelinogenesis, and potential use in gene therapy.

3. The role of potassium channels in T lymphocyte activation, Ca2+ signaling and mitogenesis.

Y. Dudai

The role of saliency-and novelty-detectors in the acquisition and retention of memory in brain.

Mechanisms of memory consolidation, reconsolidation and extinction in the mammalian brain.

Theories of learning and memory.

I. Ginzburg

Control of expression of tau protein in normal and diseased brains (Alzheimer's).

Neuronal polarity: Control of expression of microtubule genes.

A. Grinvald, H. Slovin, M. Tsodyks, E. Ahissar, A. Arieli

1. The functional architecture underlying visual perception.

2. Cortical dynamics underlying higher brain functions in behaving monkeys.

3. The space-time dynamics of cortical activity as revealed by population activity (EEG, LFP and real-time optical imaging) coupled with single-unit and intracellular recordings.

4. The Interactions between evoked and on-going activity and their potential functional role in cortical processing.

5. The mechanisms responsible for neuroimaging based on the cortical microcirculation.

A. Karni

The characteristics and time-course of experience dependent changes in behavior (psychophysics) and brain representation (using functional MRI) and the acquisition and retention of skilled performance: what is learned, where in the brain, and when.

1. Hierarchical representation of movement sequences in the adult motor system: changes as a function of experience and the consolidation of procedural memory.

2. Functional stages in the acquisition of new language skills: mirror reading; grapheme to phoneme transformation; morphological rules.

Y. Koch

Regulation of GnRH expression in the mammary gland.

Development of cytotoxic analogs of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).

Expression and functions of GnRH-II in the brain and in T lymphocytes.

S. Lev

Molecular Aspects of Neuronal Survival Differentiation and Degeneration.

1. Signal transduction mediated by the calcium regulated tyrosine kinase, PYK2 in neuronal cells.

2. Molecular mechanism of retinal degeneration and blindness.

3. Cellular function of a novel family of human genes related to the Drosophila retinal degeneration B (rdgB) in the central nervous system.

R. Malach

Mapping object-related areas in the human brain.

1. Gestalt effects in the human brain.

2. Dynamics of object-selective activation.

3. Principles of organization of object areas in the human brain.

H. Markram

Microcircuitry of neocortical columns.

Synaptic plasticity.

Neural coding.

D. Sagi

Human vision, with an emphasis on processes involved in image segmentation, learning, and memory.

M. Schwartz

Cross-talk between the imune and nervous system.

Physiological mechanisms of neuroprotection.

Beneficial autoimmunity.

Immunological aspects of CNS degenerative diseases.

M. Segal

Intracellular calcium in neurons.

Neuromodulation in the brain.

Physiology and behavior in transgenic mice.

I. Silman

Localization and anchorage to the plasma membrane of acetylcholinestera.

Regulation of folding and assembly of acetylcholinesterase.

Three-dimensional structure of acetylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase-anticholinesterase complexes.

V.I. Teichberg

Protein-protein interactions of glutamate receptors in neuronal plasticity.

In vitro evolution of a glutamate scavenging enzyme for the treatment of stroke, head trauma and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Structure of glutamate receptors: Mechanism of activation and desensitization of glutamate receptors.

M. Tsodyks

Modeling of cortical neuronal populations: From microcircuits to large scale networks.

Information transmission through dynamic synapses.

Population activity in visual cortex.

Home Page: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~bnmisha

Z. Vogel

Molecular mechanisms of opiate addiction, tolerance and withdrawal.

The cannabinoid ligands, their endogenous ligands and signal transduction.

Regulation of signaling by chronic agonist exposure.

Home Page: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/neurobiology/labs/vogel/index.html

E. Yavin

Signal transduction and protein kinase C isozymes in brain of normal and growth-retarded fetuses.

Free radicals and lipid modulators in the developing and aging brain.

Novel genes during oxidative stress in utero and role of docosahexaenoic acid.