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Neurophysiology, Vascular Interactions, Brain Imaging
UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL

What We Do

The brain is comprised of systems which operate at largely different scales; from molecular interactions at the synaptic level to regional activity patterns at the network level.  We combine advanced imaging techniques to study the brain at different scales during sensory processing in combination with cellular and molecular techniques to probe signaling patterns and mechanisms in subtypes of cells and their contribution to brain function.
Multi-scale imaging of hemodynamics in relation to brain activity.
Whereas techniques with single cell resolution are used to interrogate brain activity in animal models, in humans, imaging of brain activity is largely performed using macro to mesoscopic resolution techniques that in reality measure vascular and metabolic signals as indirect readouts of brain activity. By delineating the neuronal and synaptic underpinnings of the vascular signals which underlie human brain mapping, we aim to  bridge animal and human studies.
Pericyte physiology in health and disease.
Pericytes are cells that line and wrap around capillaries, the smallest blood vessels in the brain.  They are important for maintaining the integrity of the blood brain barrier, blood vessel formation, and participate in blood flow control.  Our lab uses two-photon imaging to study intracellular Ca2+ regulation and signalling pathways in pericytes.  Video shows Ca2+ signals in a pericyte expressing a genetic indicator (GCaMP6f, left), along a capillary whose lumen is labeled with an intravenous dye (right) - black shadows are individual red blood cells.
Neuron-glia Interactions.
Understanding neuron-glial communication is critical to understanding neuro-vascular interactions and ultimately brain function.  We are interested in understanding the dialogue between neurons and specific glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocyte precursor cells) and how these cells affect neural circuit function. Video shows Ca2+ signals in fine processes of an astrocyte dialyzed with the Ca2+ indicator, Fluo-4. 
Volume regulation in the brain.
Brain edema is the principal cause of death following stroke and traumatic brain injury, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We are interested in understanding the interplay between ionic changes in brain cells, cell swelling, and the mechanisms that ultimately drive water entry into the brain via vascular pathways.  Video shows sodium increasing in cortical neurons undergoing a excitotoxic insult with 2-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging.

Publications

For the latest check google scholar or pubmed.

*co-first author, #corresponding
​
2022
 

      Store-Operated Ca2+ Channels Mediate Microdomain Ca2+ Signals and Amplify Gq-Coupled Ca2+ Elevations in Capillary Pericytes. 
Phillips B, Clark J, Martineau E, Rungta RL#. BioArxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.05.25.493438

2021
 

      Diversity of neurovascular coupling dynamics along vascular arbors in layer II/III somatosensory cortex. 
Rungta RL#, Zuend M, Aydin AK, Martineau É, Boido D, Weber B, Charpak S#. Communications Biology.
.

2020

      Transfer functions linking neural calcium to single voxel functional ultrasound signal.
Aydin AK, Haselden WD, Houssen YG, Pouzat C, Rungta RL, Demené C, Tanter M, PJ Drew, Charpak S#, Boido D#. Nature Communications.

       Perivascular spaces in the brain: anatomy, physiology and pathology.
Wardlaw JM#, Benveniste H, Nedergaard M, Zlokovic BV, Mestre H, Lee H, Doubal F, Brown R, Ramirez J, MacIntosh BJ, Tannenbaum A, Ballerini , Rungta RL, Boido D, Sweeney M, Montagne A, Charpak S, Joutel A, Smith KJ, Black SE. Nature Reviews Neurology.

2019 

       In-vivo imaging with a water immersion objective affects brain temperature, blood flow and oxygenation. 
Roche M, Chaigneau E, Rungta RL, Boido D, Weber B, Charpak S#. eLife.
       
       Mesoscopic and microscopic imaging of sensory responses in the same animal. 
Boido D*, Rungta RL*, Osmanski B*, Roche M, Tsurugizawa T, Le Bihan D, Ciobanu L#, Charpak S#.  Nature Communications.
   
   -link to pdf

2018
     
       Vascular compartmentalization of functional hyperemia from the synapse to the pia. 

Rungta RL#, Chaigneau E, Osmanski B, Charpak S#. Neuron. 
       -link to pdf
       -link to commentary by Nippert, Mishra, and Newman. pdf

       CaV 3.2 drives sustained burst-firing, which is critical for absence seizure propagation in reticular thalamic neurons. 
Cain SM, Tyson JR, Choi HB, Ko R, Lin PJC, LeDue JM, Powell KL, Bernier LP, Rungta RL, Yang Y, Cullis PR, O'Brien TJ, MacVicar BA, Snutch TP#. Epilepsia.

2017

     Light controls cerebral blood flow in naive animals.​ 
Rungta RL*, Osmanski B*, Boido D*, Tanter M, Charpak S#. Nature Communications.
       -
​link to pdf
       
2016

      Astrocyte endfeet march to the beat of different vessels.      
Rungta RL, Charpak S. News and Views, Nature Neuroscience.

       
Ca2+ transients in astrocyte fine processes occur via Ca2+ influx in the adult mouse hippocampus.

Rungta RL, Bernier LP, Dissing-Olesen L, LeDue J,  Drissler S,  MacVicar BA#.  Glia.
       -
link to pdf
       -selected for cover 

2015

       The cellular mechanisms of neuronal swelling underlying cytotoxic edema. 
Rungta RL, Choi HB, Tyson JR, Malik A, Dissing-Olesen L, Lin PJC, Cain SM, Cullis PR, Snutch TP, MacVicar BA#. Cell.
       -
link to pdf 

2014

       Activation of neuronal NMDA receptors triggers transient ATP-mediated microglial process outgrowth.
Dissing-Olesen L, LeDue JM, Rungta RL, Hefendehl JK, Choi HB, MacVicar BA#. Journal of Neuroscience.

2013

       Lipid nanoparticle delivery of siRNA to silence neuronal gene expression in the brain.​
Rungta RL*, Choi HB*, Lin PJC*, Ko R, Ashby D, Jay N, Manoharan M, Cullis PR, MacVicar BA#. Molecular Therapy - Nucleic Acids.
​       -link to pdf 

       Regenerative glutamate release by presynaptic NMDA receptors contributes to spreading depression.
Zhou N, Rungta RL, Malik A, Han H, Wu D, MacVicar BA#. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.

2012

​       Metabolic communication between astrocytes and neurons via bicarbonate-responsive soluble adenylyl cyclase.
 
Choi HB, Gordon GRJ, Zhou N, Tai C, Rungta RL, Martinez J, Milner TA, Ryu JK, MacLarnon JG, Tresguerres M, Levin LR, Buck J, MacVicar BA#. Neuron.

2010

       Contribution of calcium-dependent facilitation to synaptic plasticity revealed by migraine mutations in the P/Q type calcium channel. ​
Adams PJ, Rungta RL, Garcia E, van der Meegdenberg AMJM, MacVicar BA, Snutch TP#. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

2008

       Brain metabolism dictates the polarity of astrocyte control over arterioles.
Gordon GR, Choi HB, Rungta RL, Ellis-Davies GCR, MacVicar BA#. Nature. 

       Activation of Pannexin-1 hemichannels augments aberrant bursting in the hippocampus.​
Thompson RJ#, Jackson MF, Olah ME, Rungta RL, Hines DJ, Beazely MA, MacDonald JF, MacVicar BA#. Science.

The Team

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Ravi Rungta, PhD
​Principal Investigator
​
Ravi is an Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Faculty of Dental Medicine and the CNS Research Group (GRSNC) at UdeM.
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Éric Martineau, PhD
Research Associate
​
Éric is a neuroscientist with expertise in in-vivo imaging approaches and electrophysiology.
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Pierrette Kwemo, MSc
Research Technician

Pierrette is a research technician with expertise in molecular biology

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Braxton Phillips
MSc student, Neuroscience
​.

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Antoine Malescot
PhD student, Biomedical Engineering


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Laurianne Zana
MSc student, Neuroscience

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Abhishek Tiwari
MSc student, Neuroscience
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Nouha Elmkinssi
Undergrad Intern in Neuroscience
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Jenna Clark
​Undergrad Intern in Neuroscience

Lab Alumni
Isabel Laplante - ​
Research Associate at University of Montreal

Get In Touch

EMAIL

ravi.rungta@umontreal.ca

Interested candidates should send a brief statement of interest and CV to the address above.
Prospective graduate students can be enrolled through the graduate program of neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or dental medicine.  

Our lab is part of the CNS research group -  Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central (GRSNC) a multi-disciplinary neuroscience group on the campus of Université de Montréal, offering excellent opportunity for interaction and collaboration across labs.
Location
University of Montreal - Paul-G-Desmarais Building,
2960 Ch de la Tour,
Montreal, Quebec H3T 1
J4
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Copyright © 2020 RUNGTA LAB
  • HOME
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