Prof. Dr. Stephan Neuhauss

 

Main Goals, Keywords

Genetic Analysis of vertebrate visual system development and funtion using zebrafish as a model system. Our main goal is to understand the function of the vertebrate retina and resulting behavioral consequences. Currently we are focusing on retinal light adaptation, characterization of ophthalmic disease models, and behavioral consequences of optic nerve miswiring.

Group Members

1 professor, 1 postdoc, 5 PhD students, 2 technicians, 3 master students

Previous and Current Research

We have established a number of simple behavioral and electrophysiological methods to study visual performance in zebrafish larvae. These methods have been used to isolate vision impaired mutant strains and for the characterization of consequences of specific gene knockdowns on visual behavior. Such studies established a number of disease models affected in abnormal eye movement control, photoreceptor degeneration and photoreceptor synapse function. Furthermore, we have characterized various aspects of retinal light adaptation mediated by cone driven vision.

Future Projects

We want to extend our previous studies to find cone photoreceptor specific adaptation mechanisms, studying the visual transduction cascade, recycling of photopigment and synaptic mechanisms of adaptation. Furthermore we are in the process to extend the analysis of the visual system to adult teleosts.

Techniques and Equipment

Zebrafish husbandry, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, standard molecular biology, visual behavior analysis. electroretinography, transgenic technology, genomic mapping

Selected Publications

• Maurer, C.M., Schönthaler, H.B., Mueller, K.P., Neuhauss, S.C. Distinct retinal deficits in a zebrafish pyruvate dehydrogenase-deficient mutant. J Neurosci.  Sep 8; 30(36): 11962-72 (2010).
• Huang, Y.Y., Tschopp, M., Straumann, D., Neuhauss, S.C. Vestibular deficits do not underlie looping behavior in achiasmatic fish. Commun Integr Biol. Jul; 3(4): 379-81 (2010).
• Fleisch, V.C., Neuhauss, S.C. Parallel visual cycles in the zebrafish retina. Prog Retin Eye Res. May 19 (2010).
  

Selected Lectures, Seminars or Colloquia

BIO143 Neurobiology, BIO 327 Scientific Communication, BIO328 Practical Course in Neurosciences, BIO343 Structural Plasticity and Repair of the Nervous System, BIO 344 Development of the Nervous System, BIO 350 Sensory Physiology, Introductory and Advanced Courses in Neurosciences (ZNZ PhD program)

Funding

Swiss National Science Foundation, EU, Velux Stiftung

URL

http://www.imls.uzh.ch/research/Neuhauss.html