معرفی
Daniel Spergel is an Associate Research Scientist in Neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine, affiliated with the Department of Neuroscience and the Chang Lab. He holds research roles across institutions, including the Max Planck Institute and the University of Heidelberg. His education includes a PhD in Physiology from the University of Pennsylvania (1991) and an AB in Biophysics from Columbia University (1985).
Dr. Spergel's research focuses on calcium signaling, electrophysiological mechanisms in GnRH neurons, and the neuroendocrine regulation of reproduction. He investigates the modulation of neuronal activity by neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and optogenetic approaches. His work also explores energy homeostasis, sleep-wake regulation, and cardiovascular health through studies in transgenic mouse models.
Notable contributions include developing the first successful transgenic GFP mouse model for GnRH neuron studies and characterizing the functional connectivity of hypothalamic neurons. His recent projects involve analyzing intracardiac neurons' roles in cardiovascular physiology using optogenetic techniques.
Key Research Areas
- Circuits controlling reproduction (GnRH/kisspeptin systems)
- Calcium signaling in pubertal activation
- Neurotransmitter modulation of MCH neurons
- Optogenetic interrogation of neuronal networks
Awards
- NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship (NINDS/NIH)
- Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellowship
- National Research Council Research Associateship
Grants & Collaborations
Collaborates with labs at Yale (Anthony van den Pol, Rui Chang) and institutions in Germany (Valery Grinevich). His work integrates electrophysiology, imaging, and genetic tools to dissect neural circuits.
Labs & Teams
Active in the Chang Lab (Yale Neuroscience) and previously contributed to van den Pol's Neurosurgery lab. Involved in transgenic mouse model development and neuroendocrine signaling studies.
