LIN Seminar Series “NeuroCommunications”

29.03.2023

2 pm

LIN, Ebbinghaus Lecture Hall

Guest: Prof. Stephan Lammel (Dept of Molecular & Cell Biology, Berkeley, University of California)

Title: Exploring neural dynamics in reward learning and motivated behavior

Abstract

Despite decades of research on the properties of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons, the precise information encoded by these cells during reward learning and motivated behavior remains uncertain. I will describe recent work utilizing an approach that combines Neuropixels and optogenetics to record dopamine cells at the single cell level. Specifically, we recorded optogenetically-identified dopamine cells across multiple different VTA subregions in mice performing a reward seeking task. In combination with computational modeling, we found that medial VTA dopamine cells encode reward value, whereas lateral VTA dopamine neurons encode reward prediction errors. Together, these experiments are geared towards developing a more unifying framework of dopamine’s role in reward learning and motivated behavior.

About the speaker
Stephan Lammel has long been interested in the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA), and in particular in the DA neurons located in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). He obtained his PhD in the lab of Dr. Jochen Roeper in Marburg (DE) where he characterized the unique properties of mesoprefrontal DA neurons. He continued his studies on projection-specific DA neurons and their behavioral contribution in the lab of Dr. Rob Malenka at Stanford University (CA, USA), where he focused on the encoding of reward and aversion. He is now an Associate Professor at the University of Berkeley (CA, USA) where he is investigating the multiplex role of DA in the brain and its effect in physiological and pathological conditions.

To learn more about our speaker, visit his lab website: https://www.lammellab.org/ 

The presentation will be hosted by Petra Mocellin on behalf of the Department Cellular Neuroscience. Don’t miss your chance to talk with Prof. Stephan Lammel and reserve your time slot via email to the host petra.mocellin@lin-magdeburg.de! 

Additionally, for Ph.D. candidates there is the special opportunity to join the speaker lunch at LIN at 12.00 pm. Interested researchers are very welcome to shoot the host an email petra.mocellin@lin-magdeburg.de to sign up for it. External Ph.D. students are also very welcome to join.