Yale University

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Yale School of Medicine

BBS Program
Yale University
P.O. Box 208084
New Haven, CT 06520-8084
Tel: 203.785.3735
Fax: 203.785.3734
bbs@yale.edu

Michael C. Crair

 

Neuroscience

Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Neurobiology

Education

A.B. University of California at Berkeley 1985
Ph.D. University of California at Berkeley 1991

Research Interests

In the brains of mammals, birds and invertebrates, the sensory world is organized into regular neuronal arrays or maps. Common examples are the map of body surface in somatosensory cortex (the so called "homunculus") and the representation of oriented bars or edges in visual cortex. We are interested in understanding how genes ('nature') and the environment ('nurture') interact to guide the development of neuronal maps. Our research focuses on development of the visual and somatosensory systems. We employ a broad range of experimental techniques, including neuroanatomy, molecular biology and biochemistry, in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology as well as optical imaging. This array of approaches allows us to examine neural circuit development from many perspectives, and provides synergistic impetus to our exploration of the cellular and molecular mechanisms for sensory map development.

Links

Recent Publications

  • Shah RD, Crair MC. (2008). Retinocollicular synapse maturation and plasticity are regulated by correlated retinal waves. Journal of Neuroscience. 2;28(1):292-303.
  • T. Iwasato, M Inan, H Kanki, R S Erzurumlu, S Itohara and M C Crair. (2008). Cortical Adenylyl Cyclase 1 is Required for Thalamocortical Synapse Maturation and Aspects of Layer IV Barrel Development. Journal of Neuroscience. 28:5848-5858.

Michael Crair

Contact

E-mail
michael.crair@yale.edu