Team Lenkei

The team’s previous projects were mainly focused to decipher the closely intertwined relationship between cannabinoid receptor activation and sub-neuronal targeting, by using quantitative in vitro imaging approaches of neurons. In the last years, we became increasingly interested in the understanding of cannabinoid-mediated regulation of neuronal structure. Established techniques range from molecular constructions through imaging-based measurements of GPCR activation in cultured hippocampal neurons to the use of animal models of cerebral plasticity.  

Current projects of the team are targeted to develop and use new tools to better understand, at multiple spatio-temporal scales, the role of the highly dynamic actomyosin cytoskeleton in neuronal function and neuropsychiatric pathogenesis. One of this new tools, Ultrafast functional Ultrasound (fUS) imaging, also revealed itself as highly adapted to access nervous system function through imaging the neurovascular coupling, so an important part of our current efforts is focused to further develop this powerful tool either in collaborative projects or in-house, the latter focused on imaging the functional consequences of actomyosin remodeling on brain structure and connectivity.