Professor Walter Marcotti
School of Biosciences
Professor of Sensory Neuroscience
Co-director of the Neuroscience Institute
+44 114 222 1098
Full contact details
School of Biosciences
B1 221
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
91直播
S10 2TN
- Profile
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- 2012 - present: Professor of Sensory Neuroscience
- 2006 - present: Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of 91直播, UK.
- 2004 - 2005: Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of Sussex, UK.
- 2001 - 2004: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Sussex, UK.
- 1997 - 2000: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Bristol, UK.
- 1994 - 1997: PhD, University of Pavia, Italy.
- 1989 - 1992: University Degree in Biological Science, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
- Research interests
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- Molecular and physiological mechanisms controlling the functional maturation of the auditory system.
- Mechanoelectrical transduction at the hair cell stereocilia
- Signal processing at ribbon synapses
- Age-related hearing loss
- Mechanisms underlying different forms of hearing loss and deafness
Auditory neuroscience and deafness sensory transduction synaptic transmission
Sensory organs and the neural networks responsible for processing sensory information are supremely well adapted for detecting input from the external environment. Their challenge is to maximize sensitivity and fidelity over a wide dynamic range. The sensory receptors of the mammalian auditory system, the inner hair cells (IHCs), do this with unparalleled temporal precision (kHz range). We know little about the molecular and physiological mechanisms controlling the functional maturation of the auditory system or signal processing at the primary auditory synapses, the IHC ribbon synapses. Crucial to this work, is the need of near-physiological in vitro and the development of in vivo experimental models.
My laboratory is uniquely suited for this task because it is the only one in the world that routinely uses near-physiological conditions for in vitro mammalian cochlear physiology and performs in-vivo electrophysiology from the zebrafish. How biological systems orchestrate their development and how complex signals are processed by mature neuronal networks are major challenges in the quest to understand human biology and disease.
The auditory system provides an ideal model with which to address these questions, primarily because it involves a highly ordered array of a very small number of sensory cells with well-defined neuronal circuitry. It is also a key priority for human health because hearing loss affects more than 360 million people worldwide (WHO 2013), a number that will increase with the aging population.
- Publications
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Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
- . The EMBO Journal, 38(9), e99839-e99839.
- . Journal of Neuroscience, 37(9), 2471-2484.
- . Journal of Neuroscience, 37(2), 258-268.
- . Journal of Neuroscience, 37(2), 258-268.
- . Journal of Physiology, 594(19), 5427-5438.
- . Journal of Neuroscience, 36(2), 336-349.
- . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(41), 14918-14923.
- . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 110(34), 13898-13903.
All publications
Journal articles
- . JCI Insight, 9(23).
- . iScience, 110170-110170.
- . Cell Reports, 43(4), 114025-114025.
- . The Journal of Physiology, 602(4), 759-759.
- . iScience, 26(10), 108056-108056.
- . Royal Society Open Science, 10(6).
- . Molecular Therapy - Methods & Clinical Development, 26, 355-370.
- . Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 16.
- . Cell Calcium, 105, 102613-102613.
- . PLoS ONE, 17(3).
- . PLoS Genetics, 18(1).
- . Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15.
- . J Physiol.
- . The Journal of Physiology.
- . Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 14.
- . Physiological Reports, 8(14).
- . The Journal of Physiology.
- . Stem Cells International, 2020.
- . Neuroscience, 426, 69-86.
- . The Journal of Physiology, 598(1), 151-170.
- . EMBO Molecular Medicine, 11(9).
- . The Journal of Physiology.
- . The EMBO Journal, 38(9), e99839-e99839.
- . Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, 9(12), a033175-a033175.
- . Nature, 563(7733), 696-700.
- . Nature Communications, 9.
- . J Physiol.
- . The Journal of Neuroscience, 37(26), 6299-6313.
- . The Journal of Physiology, 595(11), 3677-3678.
- . eLife, 6.
- . Journal of Neuroscience, 37(9), 2471-2484.
- . Journal of Neuroscience, 37(2), 258-268.
- . Journal of Neuroscience, 37(2), 258-268.
- . Journal of Physiology, 594(19), 5427-5438.
- . J Physiol, 594(13), 3667-3681.
- . Neuroscience, 328, 80-91.
- . EMBO Molecular Medicine, 8(3), 191-207.
- . Physiological Reports, 4(3), e12701-e12701.
- . Journal of Neuroscience, 36(2), 336-349.
- . Journal of Neuroscience, 36(1), 222-234.
- . Human Molecular Genetics, 24(1), 37-49.
- . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(41), 14918-14923.
- . J Neurosci, 34(16), 5505-5514.
- . J Physiol, 592(10), 2041-2058.
- . Eur J Neurosci, 39(5), 744-756.
- . PLoS One, 9(1), e87331.
- . Open Biol, 3(11), 130163.
- . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 110(34), 13898-13903.
- . J Neurosci, 33(22), 9508-9519.
- . J Physiol, 591(16), 3811-3820.
- . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 110(21), 8720-8725.
- . Nature, 490(7419), 278-282.
- . PLoS One, 7(9), e45732.
- . J Neurosci, 32(31), 10479-10483.
- . J Neurosci, 32(25), 8545-8553.
- . PLoS One, 7(2).
- Functional assembly of mammalian cochlear hair cells. Experimental Physiology.
- . Exp Physiol, 97(4), 438-451.
- . Neuron, 70(6), 1143-1154.
- . Nat Neurosci, 14(6), 711-717.
- . PLoS One, 6(4), e19183.
- . PLoS Biol, 9(4), e1001048.
- . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 108(6), 2355-2360.
- . J Physiol, 588(Pt 1), 187-199.
- . Nat Neurosci, 13(1), 45-52.
- . Hum Mol Genet, 18(15), 2779-2790.
- . Stem Cells, 27(5), 1196-1204.
- . J Physiol, 587(Pt 8), 1715-1726.
- . J Physiol, 586(22), 5403-5418.
- . J Neurosci, 28(30), 7670-7678.
- . J MEMBRANE BIOL, 223(3), 173-173.
- . J Physiol, 586(4), 1029-1042.
- . J Physiol, 583(Pt 2), 631-646.
- . J Physiol, 574(Pt 3), 677-698.
- . J Membr Biol, 209(2-3), 89-118.
- . J Physiol, 567(Pt 2), 505-521.
- . J Comp Neurol, 485(1), 75-85.
- . Dev Biol, 280(2), 281-294.
- . J Physiol, 563(Pt 1), 177-191.
- . J Physiol, 560(Pt 3), 691-708.
- . J Physiol, 557(Pt 2), 613-633.
- . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 100(26), 15510-15515.
- . J Physiol, 552(Pt 3), 743-761.
- A receptor-like inositol lipid phosphatase is required for the maturation of developing cochlear hair bundles.. J Neurosci, 23(27), 9208-9219.
- . J PHYSIOL-LONDON, 550(3), 996-996.
- . J Physiol, 548(Pt 2), 383-400.
- . Nat Genet, 30(3), 257-258.
- . Nat Neurosci, 5(1), 41-47.
- FM1-43 dye behaves as a permeant blocker of the hair-cell mechanotransducer channel.. J Neurosci, 21(18), 7013-7025.
- . Pflugers Arch, 442(6), 814-820.
- . Pfl眉gers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology, 439(1), 113-122.
- . Pflugers Arch, 439(1-2), 113-122.
- A missense mutation in myosin VIIA prevents aminoglycoside accumulation in early postnatal cochlear hair cells.. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 884, 110-124.
- . J Physiol, 520 Pt 3, 653-660.
- Differentiation of mammalian vestibular hair cells from conditionally immortal, postnatal supporting cells.. J Neurosci, 19(21), 9445-9458.
- . Hear Res, 135(1-2), 113-123.
- . Neuroreport, 10(3), 601-606.
- . Neuroreport, 9(7), 1309-1312.
- . Neuroscience, 83(4), 1085-1104.
- . Neuroreport, 8(17), 3743-3747.
- . Neuroreport, 7(18), 2993-2996.
- . Neuroreport, 7(13), 2143-2146.
- . Neuroreport, 7(11), 1841-1845.
- . Acta Histochem, 93(2), 446-452.
- . The Journal of Physiology.
- . The Journal of Physiology.
- . The Journal of Physiology.
- . The EMBO Journal.
- . The Journal of Physiology.
- . The Journal of Physiology.
- . The Journal of Physiology.
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- . Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 10.
- . PLoS ONE, 9(11), e113750-e113750.
- . The Journal of Physiology.
Chapters
- In Detrich III HW, Westerfield M & Zon LI (Ed.), The Zebrafish: Cellular and Developmental Biology, Part A Cellular Biology (pp. 253-279).
- , Development of Auditory and Vestibular Systems: Fourth Edition (pp. 155-188).
- , Development of Auditory and Vestibular Systems (pp. 155-188). Elsevier
- , Development of Auditory and Vestibular Systems (pp. xi-xiii). Elsevier
- Potassium currents of hair cells in thin slices of vestibular epithelium In Torre V & Conti F (Ed.) (pp. 193-200).
- (pp. 1-9). Wiley
- John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Conference proceedings papers
- . Biophysics of the Cochlea
- Differential expression of inward rectifier K+ currents in frog crista ampullaris. PFLUG ARCH EUR J PHY, Vol. 439(5) (pp R281-R281)
- Intraregional expression gradients of voltage-gated conductances in frog semicircular canals.. EUR J NEUROSCI, Vol. 12 (pp 142-142)
- Two components of a delayed rectifier K+ current in frog vestibular hair cells. PFLUG ARCH EUR J PHY, Vol. 436(5) (pp R16-R16)
- Delayed-rectifier K+ currents in type II vestibular hair cells. PFLUG ARCH EUR J PHY, Vol. 434(3) (pp 54-54)
Preprints
- Research group
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Collaborators
- Prof Steve Brown and Dr Mike Bowl (MRC Harwell, Oxford, UK)
- Prof Corne Kros (University of Sussex, Brighton, UK)
- Grants
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- Teaching activities
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Undergraduate and postgraduate taught modules
Undergraduate:
- BMS335 Sensory Neuroscience (Co-ordinator)
- Level 3 Practical and Dissertation Modules
Masters (MSc):
- BMS6335 Sensory Neuroscience (Co-ordinator)
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Reviewing editor for Journal of Physiology
- Awards
- Wellcome Trust Investigator (2022)
- Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator (2014)
- Sharpey-Schafer Lecture and Prize (2011) 鈥 Physiological Society, Oxford.
- Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2004), The Royal Society, UK.