David DupretView profile
Professor
Professor David Dupret is a Professor of Neuroscience and MRC Investigator at the University of Oxford, where he also serves as a Tutorial Fellow in Biomedical Sciences at St Edmund Hall. His work takes place within the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit, part of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, and he is affiliated with the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics. David completed his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Institute François Magendie (INSERM, University of Bordeaux, France), receiving the French Neuroscience Association's 2007 Ph.D. Year Prize. He joined the MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit in 2007 as a Visiting Fellow, funded by the Institute of France and the International Brain Research Organisation. In 2009, he became an MRC postdoctoral scientist and Junior Research Fellow at St Edmund Hall, progressing to MRC Programme Leader Track scientist in 2011 and tenured MRC Programme Leader in 2014. Professor Dupret's research focuses on the circuit-level mechanisms of memory-guided behavior, with particular emphasis on neural dynamics of memory circuits during active waking behavior and sleep. His laboratory employs in vivo multichannel recordings and optogenetic manipulation of neuronal ensembles to investigate how hippocampal networks organize memory processes. His work has revealed fundamental insights into how memory circuits operate during both waking behavior and sleep states, particularly regarding hippocampal ripple activity, dentate spikes, and offline reactivation processes. Analysis of Professor Dupret's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on hippocampal network dynamics and memory processes. His work spans from basic neural circuit mechanisms to applications in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease. A notable trend is the integration of computational approaches with experimental neuroscience to understand how neural assemblies encode and retrieve memories. His team has made significant contributions to understanding how dentate spikes support memory flexibility and how hippocampal ripple diversity organizes neuronal reactivation during offline states. French Neuroscience Association's 2007 Ph.D. Year Prize Foundation Louis D. Research Fellowship (2007) International Brain Research Organisation Fellowship (2008) FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence Scholar (2016) Boehringer Ingelheim-FENS Research Award (2018) Elected to membership of Academia Europaea (2024) Professor Dupret has secured substantial research funding through his MRC Programme Leader position and has mentored numerous researchers who appear as co-authors on his publications. His laboratory, the Dupret Group, operates within the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit, collaborating extensively with other research groups including the Sharott Group, Magill Group, and Denison Group. Current research directions include investigating how memory circuits maintain flexibility while resisting extinction, exploring the relationship between neural coactivity patterns and memory organization, and developing computational models of hippocampal function. His team is actively pursuing future work on the mechanisms underlying memory persistence and the neural basis of flexible memory recall.












