معرفی
Michael Wallace serves as an Assistant Professor at Boston University, leading research at the intersection of basal ganglia circuitry, motivated behavior, and synaptic transmission mechanisms. His work addresses fundamental questions about neural control of goal-directed actions and their disruption in neurological disorders.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Neurobiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dr. Wallace's research program centers on genetically defined circuits within the basal ganglia, investigating how these structures guide motivated behaviors and motor control. His laboratory employs a sophisticated multidisciplinary toolkit including in vivo electrophysiology, optogenetics, molecular genetics, computational modeling, and behavioral assays. Key research themes encompass neurotransmitter cotransmission (particularly GABA/glutamate interactions), synaptic vesicle dynamics, and circuit-level pathophysiology in conditions ranging from Parkinson's disease to addiction. The lab's long-term mission targets therapeutic interventions through mechanistic understanding of neural circuit dysfunction.
Analysis of his publication record reveals consistent focus on multitransmitter neurons and basal ganglia microcircuitry since 2011, with increasing emphasis on entopeduncular nucleus function and neurotransmitter co-packaging mechanisms. His work demonstrates methodological evolution from anatomical and transcriptional profiling toward real-time circuit interrogation using optogenetic and electrophysiological approaches.
The Wallace Lab operates as a dynamic neuroscience research hub, integrating expertise across molecular, cellular, and systems levels. Current investigations leverage cutting-edge techniques to dissect how specific basal ganglia pathways process motivational signals and motor commands, with particular attention to disease-relevant perturbations. This systems neuroscience approach bridges fundamental circuit mechanisms with translational applications for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
