Amine neurotransmitters such as dopamine are important for regulation of behaviors and metabolism of animals. Disregulation of amine signaling is believed to cause many mental disorders, as the receptors for these neurotransmitters are the targets of many psychoactive drugs. I study the molecular and cellular mechanisms for amine neurotransmitter signaling using a model organism C. elegans.

A model organism C. elegans
Caenorhabditis elegans is a small free living nematode. Since C. elegans possesses many features suitable for basic research, it has been used as a model in various research fields, including developmental biology and neuroscience.

Neurotransmitter signaling in C. elegans
C. elegans exhibits complex behaviors including associative learning, even though its nervous system is very simple. C. elegans uses dopamine and other amines as neurotransmitters and we and others have shown that the signaling molecules are conserved between the worm and human. We have utilized a reporter system to monitor amine signaling and have been investigating the amine receptor function in C. elegans. Our goal is to further the understanding of the basic mechanisms for neurotransmitter signaling and reveal the molecular basis for mental disorders.