Contact Information

(267) 519-4855

Graeme Lowe

Associate Member

Education

Ph.D., Physics; California Institute of Technology

Research Summary

The overall goal of my research is to determine the cellular mechanisms important for the coding and processing of olfactory information in the nervous system. In the nose, olfactory receptors detect volatile chemicals and transmit messages to the brain encoded as dynamic patterns of electrical activity. These patterns are mapped to the olfactory bulb where they are filtered and transformed by multiple layers of neuronal circuits. My laboratory is studying how sensory signals are processed and reshaped by intricate networks of synaptic relays in the olfactory bulb. We apply a variety of electrophysiological and optical techniques in vitro and in vivo, to probe functions of olfactory circuits in both wild-type and transgenic mice. This research will yield deeper insights into how we detect and perceive odors. It also has broad significance for understanding how neurons are wired together to solve specific computational problems. Reverse engineering of biological olfactory systems may inspire novel designs in the development of artificial chemical sensors.

Detailed description of research program

Keywords

olfaction, electrophysiology, optical imaging, olfactory bulb, synaptic, action potential, neurophysiology, neurotransmitter, neuromodulation, calcium imaging

Recent Publications

Ma, J. and Lowe, G. (2010) “Correlated firing in tufted cells of mouse olfactory bulb.” Neuroscience. 169, 1715-1738.

Lowe, G.; Buerk, D. G.; Ma, J. and Gelperin, A. (2008) “Tonic and stimulus-evoked nitric oxide production in the mouse olfactory bulb.” Neuroscience. 153, 842-850.

Lowe, G. (2007) “Olfactory bulb: Synaptic organization.” Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ma, J. and Lowe, G. (2007) “Calcium permeable AMPA receptors and autoreceptors in external tufted cells of rat olfactory bulb.” Neuroscience. 144, 1094-1108.

Ma, J. and Lowe, G. (2004) “Action potential backpropagation and multiglomerular signaling in the rat vomeronasal system.” Neuroscience. 24, 9341-9352.