My research focuses on the fundamental rules that govern the development of synaptic and network activity in the cortex and how this process is disrupted in autism and related disorders, with the ultimate goal of developing novel therapies. I combine electrophysiological recordings at the synaptic and network level with optogenetic techniques to investigate the cell-type specific mechanisms underlying NMDA and AMPA receptor development, impact on circuit function and synaptic plasticity, and role in neurodevelopmental disorders in acute cortical slices, primary cortical cultures, and human cerebral organoids. I collaborate with computational groups at Cambridge and MIT to develop novel methods for analyzing the development of network activity.
