Team Huberfeld-Dossi

Keywords: Epilepsy, Glioma, Gamma-aminobutyric acid, Glutamate, Interneurons, Astrocytes, Pannexins, Mitochondria, Chloride, Neuroglial interactions, Electrophysiology, Neurosurgery, Neuronal plasticity, Electrodes, Focused ultrasound

Our research has a translational focus on brain dysfunctions in neurological diseases, notably epilepsy and cerebral tumors with an emphasis on the human brain. Most experiments are conducted either in vivo or on postoperative tissues, but also in mice, with in vivo and ex vivo approaches.

Our lab studies electrophysiological signals generated by neuronal activity and synaptic interactions between neurons, as well as astrocytes, together with the cellular and synaptic signaling mechanisms at play in brain disorders. This approach permits progress in understanding:

1. The role played by chronic reorganization in the neuronal network signaling during epilepsy, focusing on interneurons / pyramidal cells and chloride / potassium interactions initiating seizures
2. The role of astrocytes in epilepsy, including their contribution to brain reorganization and seizure generation
3. Neuronal and astrocytes interactions with lesions such as tumors with a focus on glutamatergic signaling related to glioma cells and neuronal activity
4. Mitochondria dynamics in epilepsy and glioma, and the role played by Pannexin2 channels in this process
5. Neuroplasticity induced by focused ultrasound
6. Developing innovative electrodes for high resolution recording and brain disease biomarkers identification.

5 Main Publications:

Díaz-Fernández B, Henao-Herreno D, Nieto J, Evstratova A, Cases-Cunillera S, Deboeuf L, Roux A, Dezamis E, Zanello M, Mathon B, Karachi C, Carpentier A, Varlet P, Pallud J, Capelle L, Alvarado-Rojas C, Le Van Quyen M, Huberfeld G. Differentiation of tumor versus peritumoral cortex in gliomas by intraoperative electrocorticography. Neuro Oncol. 2025 Sep 8;27(7):1758-1771. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noaf082. 

Dossi E, Zonca L, Pivonkova H, Milior G, Moulard J, Vargova L, Chever O, Holcman D, Rouach N. Astroglial gap junctions strengthen hippocampal network activity by sustaining afterhyperpolarization via KCNQ channels. Cell Rep. 2024 May 28;43(5):114158. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114158. PMID: 38722742.

Dossi E, Huberfeld G. GABAergic circuits drive focal seizures. Neurobiol Dis. 2023 May;180:106102. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106102. PMID: 36977455.

Blauwblomme T, Dossi E, Pellegrino C, Goubert E, Iglesias BG, Sainte-Rose C, Rouach N, Nabbout R, Huberfeld G. Gamma-aminobutyric acidergic transmission underlies interictal epileptogenicity in pediatric focal cortical dysplasia. Ann Neurol. 2019 Feb;85(2):204-217. doi: 10.1002/ana.25403. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Dossi E, Blauwblomme T, Moulard J, Chever O, Vasile F, Guinard E, Le Bert M, Couillin I, Pallud J, Capelle L, Huberfeld G, Rouach N. Pannexin-1 channels contribute to seizure generation in human epileptic brain tissue and in a mouse model of epilepsy. Sci Transl Med. 2018 May 30;10(443). doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aar3796.