Prof. Dr. Julijana Gjorgjieva

Primary research focus: Theoretical Neuroscience & Technical Applications

Second research focus: Cellular & Systems Neuroscience

Keywords: synaptic plasticity, networks, dynamics

Research description: We develop theoretical approaches to study how neural circuits become organized during development and learning using diverse mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. We also investigate what this means in terms of the computations that they implement as a result of this organization. Some recent work includes studying models of spike-timing-dependent plasticity and resulting network structures that they imprint, how spontaneous activity shapes neural circuits in early postnatal development and top-down contextual modulation in circuit models with multiple interneuron types. We mainly work with data and build models that pertain to the sensory cortex in mammals but our work applies to diverse systems including fly and fish.

Selected publications:

A. Schulz*, C. Miehl*, M. J. Berry II and J. Gjorgjieva (2021). The generation of cortical novelty responses through inhibitory plasticity. eLife 10, e65309. https://elifesciences.org/articles/65309 (* equal contribution)

J. H. Kirchner and J. Gjorgjieva (2021). Emergence of local and global synaptic organization on cortical dendrites. Nature Communications 12, 4005. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23557-3

M. E. Wosniack, J. H. Kirchner, L.-Y. Chao, N. Zabouri, C. Lohmann and J. Gjorgjieva (2021). Adaptation of spontaneous activity in the developing visual cortex. eLife 10:e61619. doi.org/10.7554/eLife.61619

Y. Wu, K. B. Hengen, G. G. Turrigiano and J. Gjorgjieva (2020). Homeostatic mechanisms regulate distinct aspects of cortical circuit dynamics. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 117 (39) 24514-24525. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1918368117

L. Montangie, C. Miehl and J. Gjorgjieva (2020). Autonomous emergence of connectivity assemblies via spike triplet interactions. PLoS Comp Biol 16(5):e1007835. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007835