Daniel V. Madison

Administrative Appointments

• Chair, Admissions Committee, Dept. Molecular and Cellular Physiology (2005 - 2007)
• Senator at large, Medical School Faculty Senate (2004 - 2006)
• Director of Admissions, Neurosciences Graduate Program (1997 - 2003)
• Executive Committee, Neurosciences Graduate Program (1995 - 2003)
• MSTP Admissions Committee, MSTP (1995 - 1999)
View All 9administrative appointments of Vernon Madison

Honors and Awards

• Young Investigator Award, Society for Neuroscience (.)
• Lucille P. Markey Scholar, Lucile P. Markey Charitable Trust (.)

Professional Education

• Ph.D., Univ.of Calif. San Francisco, Neurosciences (1984)
• B.S., University of California, Irvine, Biological Sciences (1979)

Postdoctoral Advisees

Ananya Mitra

Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations

• Molecular and Cellular Physiology
• Neurosciences

Community & International Work

• MBL Neurobiology Course, Woods Hole, MA 

Web Site Links

• Madison Lab Home Page

Research Interests

Our laboratory uses electrophysiological techniques to study the mechanisms of synaptic transmission and plasticity in the mammalian hippocampus. One of the main focuses in the lab is in the study of synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP). LTP is the persistent increase in synaptic strength that occurs after a period of heavy activity in a synaptic connection. It is the most widely studied and compelling model for mechanisms underlying memory formation in the mammalian central nervous system. Most recently, we have been involved in studies of the intracellular messenger, nitric oxide. Nitric oxide appears to play a role both in inducing LTP and also in communicating LTP between groups of unconnected synapses, thus creating funcitonal domains of alterered synapses.

The other major focus of the lab is the study of the modulation and short term plasticity of inhibitory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus by different neurotransmitter systems. Projects under this focus include studies on the modulatory properties of norepinesphrine, acetylcholine and opiates on hippocampal inhibitory circuitry and transmitter release.

Studies in the lab are carried out using a full range of electrophysiological techniques including extracellular field potential recording, intracellular recording,whjole cell and single channel recording in hippocampal slices and cultured neurons.

Publications

• Discrete synaptic states define a major mechanism of synapse plasticity. Montgomery JM, Madison DV "Trends Neurosci" 2004 ; 12 (27) : 744-50
• SNAP-25 Ser187 does not mediate phorbol ester enhancement of hippocampal synaptic transmission. Finley MF, Scheller RH, Madison DV "Neuropharmacology" 2003 ; 6 (45) : 857-62
• State-dependent heterogeneity in synaptic depression between pyramidal cell pairs. Montgomery JM, Madison DV "Neuron" 2002 ; 5 (33) : 765-77
• The core membrane fusion complex governs the probability of synaptic vesicle fusion but not transmitter release kinetics. Finley MF, Patel SM, Madison DV, Scheller RH "J Neurosci" 2002 ; 4 (22) : 1266-72
• Pair recordings reveal all-silent synaptic connections and the postsynaptic expression of long-term potentiation. Montgomery JM, Pavlidis P, Madison DV "Neuron" 2001 ; 3 (29) : 691-701