We are working on developing new therapeutic strategies to treat epilepsy that rely on specifically modifying the activity of seizure-generating networks in the brain. Dr Alfredo Gonzalez-Sulser Senior Lecturer in Epilepsy and Neuroscience1 George SquareEdinburgh, EH8 9JZContact details Work: 0131 651 1903 Email: agonzal2@ed.ac.uk Web: Lab: Gonzalez - Sulser Personal profile2025 - Present: Senior Lecturer, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh2024 - 2025: Lecturer, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences2020 - 2024: Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain ESAT Fellow, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh2017 - 2020: Epilepsy Research United Kingdom Fellow, Centre for Discovery Brain Research, University of Edinburgh.2014 - 2016: Marie Curie International Incoming Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh.2013 - 2016: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the lab of Matt Nolan, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh.2008 - 2012: PhD in Neuroscience in the labs of Rhonda Dzakpasu and Stefano Vicini, Interdisciplinary Program for Neuroscience, Georgetown University.2005 - 2007: Research Technician in the laboratory of Giovanni Cucchiaro, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.2001 - 2005: BAS in Biology, University of Pennsylvania.Research ThemeSynapses/Circuits/Behaviour, Genes/Development ResearchRecent advances in systems neuroscience have shifted the understanding of brain functions from being attributed to individual nuclei or regions, to instead being distributed or at least mediated by multiple interacting anatomical areas or cellular populations. Similarly, it is becoming increasingly clear that in epilepsy, seizures and pathological activity emerge from large-scale cellular networks. Consequently, comorbidities such as memory loss, sleep abnormalities, neurodevelopmental delay and severe autistic behaviours can be both a cause, or consequence, of pathological activity related to epilepsy.As a lab, we study genetic and induced in vivo animal models of epileptic encephalopathies and temporal lobe epilepsy utilizing cutting edge electrophysiological recording techniques. We are focused on deciphering how seizures emerge and propagate throughout the brain and how these events relate to other behavioural phenotypes. Additionally, we are in the search for clinically-translatable biomarkers by performing connectivity analyses to understand how ongoing brain activity relates to the disease state. Furthermore, we are developing circuit-based interventions to ameliorate and reverse epilepsy-related pathologies. FundingSimons Initiative for the Developing BrainTeam membersNiamh McLaughlin (PhD Student)Natalie Ling Sum Hung (PhD Student)CollaborationsProf Peter Kind, University of EdinburghProf Mike Cousin, University of EdinburghProf Cathy Abbott, University of EdinburghDr Javier Escudero Rodriguez, School of Engineering, University of EdinburghDr Lindsay Mizen, University of EdinburghDr Sally Till, University of EdinburghRecent publicationsKatsanevaki D, Till SM, Buller-Peralta I, Nawas MS, Louros SR, Kapgal V, Tiwari S, Walsh D, Anstey NJ, Petrović NG, Cormack A, Salazar-Sanchez V, Harris A, Farnworth-Rowson W, Sutherland S, Watson TC, Dimitrov S, Jackson AD, Arkell D, Biswal S, Dissanayake KN, NJ, Mizen L, Perentos N, Jones MW, Cousin MA, Booker SA, Chattarji S, Wyllie DJA, Gonzalez-Sulser A*, Hardt O*, Wood ER*, Kind PC*. Key roles of C2/GAP domains in SYNGAP1-related pathophysiology. Cell Reports, 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114733.Hristova K*, Fasol CM, McLaughlin N, Nawaz S, Taskiran M, Buller-Peralta I, Bassi A,Ocampo-Garces A, Kind PC, Gonzalez-Sulser A. Absence seizures and sleep abnormalities in a rat model of GRIN2B related disorder. BioRxiv Preprint. 2024. DOI: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.27.582289v1. Marshall GF, Fasol M, Davies FCJ, Le Seelleur M, Alvarez AF, Bennett-Ness C, Gonzalez-Sulser AΔ, Abbott CMΔ. Face-valid phenotypes in a mouse model of the most common mutation in EEF1A2-related neurodevelopmental disorder. Disease Models and Mechanisms, 17 (6), 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/dmm.050501Fasol CM, Escudero J*, Gonzalez-Sulser A*Δ. Single-Channel EEG Artifact Identification with the Spectral Slope. IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM), Istanbul, Turkiye, pp. 2482-2487, 2023. DOI: 10.1109/BIBM58861.2023.10385840.Bonnycastle K, Dobson, K L, Blurich E-M, Gajbhiye A, Davenport EC, Pronot M, M Steinruecke, M Trust, Gonzalez-Sulser A, Cousin MA. Reversal of cell, circuit and seizure phenotypes in a mouse model of DNM1 epileptic encephalopathy. Nature Communications, 14, article number 5285, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41035-wBuller-Peralta I*, Maicas-Royo J*, Lu Z*, Till SM, Wood ER, Kind PC, Escudero J, Gonzalez-Sulser A. Abnormal brain state distribution and network connectivity in a SYNGAP1 rat model. Brain Commun. 4, 6. 2022. DOI: fcac263 Gonzalez-Sulser A. New inroads into the brain circuits and network dynamics behind sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.Brain Commun. 4, 2. 2022 DOI: fcac097, Hristova K*, Martinez-Gonzalez C*, Watson TC*, Codadu NK, Hashemi K, Kind PC, Nolan MF, Gonzalez-Sulser A. Medial septal GABAergic neurons reduce seizure duration upon optogenetic closed-loop stimulation. Brain. 2021 DOI: /brain/awaa045,Marshall, GF, Gonzalez-Sulser, A, Abbott CM. Modelling epilepsy in the mouse: challenges and solutions. Disease Mod. & Mech. dmm047449 2021 doi: 10.1242/dmm.047449, D. Katsanevaki, SM. Till, I. Buller-Peralta, TC. Watson, MS. Nawaz, D. Arkell, S. Tiwar, V. Kapgal, S. Biswal, JAB. Smith, NJ. Anstey, L. Mizen, N. Perentos, MW. Jones, MA. Cousin, S. Chattarji*, A. Gonzalez-Sulser*, O. Hardt*, ER. Wood* and PC. Kind*. Heterozygous deletion of SYNGAP enzymatic domains in rats causes selective learning, social and seizure phenotypes. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.14.339192Gonzalez-Sulser, A. Rodent genetic models of neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2020 24:66-69, Brown*, R, AD Lam*, Gonzalez-Sulser A*, A Ying, A Jones, M Chou, R Tzioras, M Jordan, C Jedrasiak-Cape, I Hemonnot, A Jaoude, MA Cole, A Cash, S Saito, T Saido, T Ribchester, R Hashemi K, Oren I. Circadian and brain state modulation of network hyperexcitability in Alzheimer's disease. eNeuro. 2018 5(2) e0426-17, DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0426-17.2018Gonzalez-Sulser, A & Nolan, MF. Grid cells’ need for speed. Nat Neurosci. 20: 1–2, 2017.Gonzalez-Sulser A, Parthier D, Candela A, McClure C, Pastoll H, Garden D, Nolan, MF. GABAergic Projections from the Medial Septum Selectively Inhibit Interneurons in the Medial Entorhinal Cortex. J Neurosci, 34(50): 16739-16743, 2014.Gonzalez-Sulser A*, Wang J, Queenan BQ, Avoli M, Vicini S, Dzakpasu R. Multi-Electrode Array Recordings of Hippocampal Neuron Firing and Slow Field Potentials in the in vitro 4-aminopyridine Epilepsy Model. J Neurophysiol (9): 2568-580, 2012.Motamedi GK, Gonzalez-Sulser A, Dzakpasu R, Vicini S. Cellular Mechanisms of Desynchronizing Effects of Hypothermia in an In Vitro Epilepsy Model. Neurotherapeutics. (1): 199-209, 2012.Gonzalez-Sulser A*, Wang J*, Motamedi GK, Avoli M, Vicini S, Dzakpasu R, The 4-aminopyridine in vitro epilepsy model analyzed with a perforated multi-electrode array. Neuropharmacology. (60): 1142-1153, 2011.Cucchiaro G, Xiao Y, Gonzalez-Sulser A, Kellar KJ. Analgesic effects of Sazetidine-A, a new nicotinic cholinergic drug. Anesthesiology. 109 (3):512-9. 2008.Ganesh A, Gonzalez-Sulser A, Chaijale N, Cucchiaro G. Electrophysiologic effects of systemic and locally infused epibatidine on locus coeruleus neurons. Eur J Pharmacol. 14; 584 (1):93-9, 2008.*= Co-authorship. Information for students:Willingness to discuss research projects with undergraduate and postgraduate students: YES - please click here This article was published on 2022-10-17