Shaarang Mitra

Research

The Pugh lab is interested in the properties of Cerebellar circuits, and how Purkinje Cell behavior can change in response to differing conditions. Synaptic plasticity is a strong control point for the overall behavior of the system, and is influenced by many factors.  Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is caused by a mutation in the protein dystrophin, which is expressed in skeletal muscle, but also found in the central nervous system and in Purkinje Cells in particular. Using a combination of genetic knockouts, brain slice electrophysiology, and imaging techniques, the lab studies how dystrophin function influences cerebellar circuits and synaptic plasticity. Additionally, the lab also looks at the influence of specific receptor systems, and how they change circuit functionality. Currently, I aim to develop a skill set in slice electrophysiology and supporting techniques to help me study these circuits more effectively.