Dr Alfredo Gonzalez-Sulser

Personal profile

• 2020 - Present: Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain Fellow, Centre for Discovery Brain Research, University of Edinburgh.
• 2017 - 2020: Epilepsy Research United Kingdom Fellow, Centre for Discovery Brain Research, University of Edinburgh.
• 2014 - 2016: Marie Curie International Incoming Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh.
• 2013 - 2016: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the lab of Matt Nolan, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh.
• 2008 - 2012: PhD in Neuroscience in the labs of Rhonda Dzakpasu and Stefano Vicini, Interdisciplinary Program for Neuroscience, Georgetown University.
• 2005 - 2007: Research Technician in the laboratory of Giovanni Cucchiaro, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
• 2001 - 2005: BAS in Biology, University of Pennsylvania.

Research Theme

Synapses/Circuits/Behaviour, Genes/Development                           

Research

Recent advances in systems neuroscience have shifted the understanding of brain functions from being attributed to individual nuclei or regions, to instead being distributed or at least mediated by multiple interacting anatomical areas or cellular populations. Similarly, it is becoming increasingly clear that in epilepsy, seizures and pathological activity emerge from large-scale cellular networks. Consequently, comorbidities such as memory loss, sleep abnormalities, neurodevelopmental delay and severe autistic behaviours can be both a cause, or consequence, of pathological activity related to epilepsy.

As a lab, we study genetic and induced in vivo animal models of epileptic encephalopathies and temporal lobe epilepsy utilizing cutting edge electrophysiological recording techniques.  We are focused on deciphering how seizures emerge and propagate throughout the brain and how these events relate to other behavioural phenotypes. Additionally, we are in the search for clinically-translatable biomarkers by performing connectivity analyses to understand how ongoing brain activity relates to the disease state. Furthermore, we are developing circuit-based interventions to ameliorate and reverse epilepsy-related pathologies. 

Funding

• Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain
• Oracle for Research
• Carnegie Trust
• Edinburgh Big Ideas Accelerator

Team members

• Dr Sarah Tennant (Postdoctoral Fellow)
• Melissa Fasol (PhD Student)
• Katerina Hristova (PhD Student)
• Niamh McLaughlin (PhD Student)

Collaborations

• Prof Peter Kind, University of Edinburgh
• Prof Emma Wood, University of Edinburgh
• Prof Mike Cousin, University of Edinburgh
• Prof Cathy Abbott, University of Edinburgh
• Dr Javier Escudero Rodriguez, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh
• Dr Lindsay Mizen, University of Edinburgh
• Dr Sam Booker, University of Edinburgh
• Prof Stuart Cobb, University of Edinburgh

Recent publications

Marshall GF, Fasol M, Davies FCJ, Le Seelleur M, Alvarez AF, Bennett-Ness C, Gonzalez-Sulser AΔ, Abbott CMΔ. Face-valid phenotypes in a mouse model of the most common mutation in EEF1A2-related neurodevelopmental disorder. Disease Models and Mechanisms, 17 (6), 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/dmm.050501

Fasol CM, Escudero J*, Gonzalez-Sulser A*^Δ. Single-Channel EEG Artifact Identification with the Spectral Slope. IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM), Istanbul, Turkiye, pp. 2482-2487, 2023. DOI: 10.1109/BIBM58861.2023.10385840.

Bonnycastle K, Dobson, K L, Blurich E-M, Gajbhiye A, Davenport EC, Pronot M, M Steinruecke, M Trust, Gonzalez-Sulser A, Cousin MA. Reversal of cell, circuit and seizure phenotypes in a mouse model of DNM1 epileptic encephalopathy. Nature Communications, 14, article number 5285, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41035-w

Abnormal brain state distribution and network connectivity in a SYNGAP1 rat model.  Buller-Peralta I*, Maicas-Royo J*, Lu Z*, Till SM, Wood ER, Kind PC, Escudero J, Gonzalez-Sulser A.  Brain Commun. 4, 6. DOI: fcac263 2022.

New inroads into the brain circuits and network dynamics behind sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. Gonzalez-Sulser A.  Brain Commun. 4, 2. DOI: fcac097, 2022.

Hristova K*, Martinez-Gonzalez C*, Watson TC*, Codadu NK, Hashemi K, Kind PC, Nolan MF, Gonzalez-Sulser A. Medial septal GABAergic neurons reduce seizure duration upon optogenetic closed-loop stimulation.  Brain. DOI: /brain/awaa045, 2021.

Marshall, GF, Gonzalez-Sulser, A, Abbott CM. Modelling epilepsy in the mouse: challenges and solutions. Disease Mod. & Mech. dmm047449 doi: 10.1242/dmm.047449, 2021.

D. Katsanevaki, SM. Till, I. Buller-Peralta, TC. Watson, MS. Nawaz, D. Arkell, S. Tiwar, V. Kapgal, S. Biswal, JAB. Smith, NJ. Anstey, L. Mizen, N. Perentos, MW. Jones, MA. Cousin, S. Chattarji*, A. Gonzalez-Sulser*, O. Hardt*, ER. Wood* and PC. Kind*. Heterozygous deletion of SYNGAP enzymatic domains in rats causes selective learning, social and seizure phenotypes. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.14.339192v1

Gonzalez-Sulser, A. Rodent genetic models of neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy.  Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 24:66-69, 2020.

Brown*, R, AD Lam*, Gonzalez-Sulser A*, A Ying, A Jones, M Chou, R Tzioras, M Jordan, C Jedrasiak-Cape, I Hemonnot, A Jaoude, MA Cole, A Cash, S Saito, T Saido, T Ribchester, R Hashemi K, Oren I. Circadian and brain state modulation of network hyperexcitability in Alzheimer's disease. eNeuro. 5(2) e0426-17, 2018

Gonzalez-Sulser, A & Nolan, MF. Grid cells’ need for speed. Nat Neurosci. 20: 1–2, 2017.

Gonzalez-Sulser A, Parthier D, Candela A, McClure C, Pastoll H, Garden D, Nolan, MF. GABAergic Projections from the Medial Septum Selectively Inhibit Interneurons in the Medial Entorhinal Cortex. J Neurosci, 34(50): 16739-16743, 2014.

Gonzalez-Sulser A*, Wang J, Queenan BQ, Avoli M, Vicini S, Dzakpasu R. Multi-Electrode Array Recordings of Hippocampal Neuron Firing and Slow Field Potentials in the in vitro 4-aminopyridine Epilepsy Model. J Neurophysiol (9): 2568-580, 2012.

Motamedi GK, Gonzalez-Sulser A, Dzakpasu R, Vicini S. Cellular Mechanisms of Desynchronizing Effects of Hypothermia in an In Vitro Epilepsy Model. Neurotherapeutics. (1): 199-209, 2012.

Gonzalez-Sulser A*, Wang J*, Motamedi GK, Avoli M, Vicini S, Dzakpasu R, The 4-aminopyridine in vitro epilepsy model analyzed with a perforated multi-electrode array. Neuropharmacology. (60): 1142-1153, 2011.

Cucchiaro G, Xiao Y, Gonzalez-Sulser A, Kellar KJ. Analgesic effects of Sazetidine-A, a new nicotinic cholinergic drug. Anesthesiology. 109 (3):512-9. 2008.

Ganesh A, Gonzalez-Sulser A, Chaijale N, Cucchiaro G. Electrophysiologic effects of systemic and locally infused epibatidine on locus coeruleus neurons. Eur J Pharmacol. 14; 584 (1):93-9, 2008.

*= Co-authorship.

 

Information for students:

Willingness to discuss research projects with undergraduate and postgraduate students: YES - please click here