Below is a profile of Michael Krashes who will join the Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch (DEOB) in 2013.
Michael Krashes (as of April, 2013)
Contact Information
ENERGY HOMEOSTASIS SECTION
NIDDK, National Institutes of Health
Building 10-CRC , Room 5-5940
10 Center Dr.
Bethesda, MD 20814
Tel: 301-451-6992
Research Statement
The guiding mission of my laboratory is to apprehend the inner workings of the mind, specifically to understand how the rodent brain integrates peripheral senses, internal states and experiences to orchestrate appropriate feeding behavior. The increased prevalence of obesity highlights the need for a more comprehensive dissection of the neural systems controlling food intake; one that extends beyond that driven by metabolic need and considers higher-order cognitive factors.
Nutrition is the primary requirement of all living systems and thus, the essential survival value of feeding is the single most powerful agent in the evolution of species. To satiate hunger and meet energy requirements, an animal must allocate resources to the detection (both external and internal) and memory of stimuli associated with the acquisition of food. Several studies have focused on one particular facet of feeding behavior: 1) the hypothalamic control of energy homeostasis, 2) the hedonic and rewarding aspects of food and the motivational component behind food procurement, or 3) the appetitive memory processes directed at learning food whereabouts. However, despite the equivalence in magnitude of these distinct phases of food intake, their relative contributions have typically been investigated individually.
The long-term goal of my research is to bridge homeostatic satiety signals emanating from the hypothalamus with those higher-order networks controlling food-seeking behavior using a combination of genetic and molecular tools to functionally unravel these circuit mechanisms. My research will investigate the neuromodulatory networks through which distinct subsets of hypothalamic neurons differentially influence specific downstream target cell types and synapses to guide both motivational behavior and learning and memory processing aimed at obtaining food.
Selected Publications
Krashes, M.J., Koda, S. Lowell, B.B. Differential neuromodulators released from AgRP neurons direct distinct biphasic feeding episodes. (submitted).
Krashes, M.J., Shah, B.P., Madera, J.C., Vong, L., Uchida M., Uchida N., Lowell, B.B. Deciphering the wiring diagram of the AgRP neuronal circuit underlying hunger. (in preparation).
Burke, C.J., Huetteroth, W., Owald, D., Perisse, E., Krashes, M.J., Das, G., Gohl, D, Silies, M., Certel, S., Waddell, S. (2012). Layered reward signaling through octopamine and dopamine in Drosophila. Nature (in press).
Krashes, M.J., Koda, S., Ye, C., Rogan, S.C., Adams, A.C., Cusher, D.S., Maratos-Flier, E., Roth, B.L., Lowell, B.B. (2011). Rapid, reversible activation of AgRP neurons drives feeding behavior in mice. J Clin Invest. 121(4): 1424-8.
Krashes, M.J., DasGupta S., Vreede A, White B, Armstrong J.D., Waddell, S. (2009). A neural circuit mechanism integrating motivational state with memory expression in Drosophila. Cell. 139(2): 416-27.
Krashes, M.J., Keene A.C., Leung, B, Armstrong, J.D., Waddell, S. (2007). Sequential use of mushroom body neuron subsets during Drosophila odor memory processing. Neuron, 53(1): 103-15.
Recruitment
The Krashes lab employs an interdisciplinary approach to study the neural correlates of hunger in mice including optogenetics, pharmacogenetics, acute brain slice and in vivo electrophysiology, and imaging techniques to find a mechanistic explanation for how central hunger signals and motivational states can influence learning and feeding behavior, in both health and disease. In addition to scientific excellence and integrity, top values of the Krashes Laboratory include mentorship, collaboration, innovation and above all, a positive mental attitude. Candidates should be enthusiastic about working in a team environment and collaborating with other labs. Candidates with experience in behavioral testing, rodent surgery, in vivo electrophysiology, microscopy, pharmacogenetics and/or optogenetics are highly encouraged to apply. The NIH is dedicated to building a diverse community in its training and employment programs.
To Apply: Please send a letter describing your long-term goals and interests, CV, and the names of three (3) references to: michael.krashes@nih.gov
