The Sando Laboratory is a new addition to the Department of Pharmacology and Vanderbilt Brain Institute and is located on the seventh floor of Medical Research Building III at Vanderbilt University. Our research is focused on elucidating the molecular principles underlying how distinct types of synaptic connections assemble into functional neural circuits in the mammalian brain, and how aberrations in neural circuitry underlie neurological disorders. The Postdoctoral Scholar will be a key personnel working directly on independent research projects aimed at advancing our understanding of synapse formation and neural circuit development in the mammalian central nervous system.
Our laboratory utilizes interdisciplinary methodologies in mouse genetics and neuroscience to understand how neural circuits in the mammalian brain are wired by diverse types of synaptic connections. A major emphasis is placed on examining fundamental principles of neuronal cell biology and molecular mechanisms. Specific projects will be focused on investigating the role of networks of cell adhesion molecules, including the Adhesion-class GPCRs, and their intracellular signal transduction cascades in synaptic circuit development and function. Our approaches are broad and interdisciplinary and span molecular and cellular biology, confocal and super-resolution microscopy, electrophysiology, and in vivo analysis of mouse models. Furthermore, we will extensively collaborate with structural biologists to examine synaptic protein complexes. Given the interdisciplinary nature of our research, individuals from broad areas of expertise are sought including biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, electrophysiology, and light/super-resolution microscopy. Please direct questions and applications to: richard.sando@vanderbilt.edu