Prof David McLean

Personal profile

2024 - Present: Personal Chair of Neural Development and Behaviour, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences

2015 - 2024: Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Neuroscience, Northwestern University

2008 - 2015: Assistant Professor of Neurobiology, Northwestern University

2005: Visiting Research Fellow with Shin-ichi Higashijima, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki 

2002 - 2008: Postdoctoral Research Associate with Joseph Fetcho, Stony Brook University and Cornell University

2001 - 2002: Postdoctoral Research Associate with Keith Sillar, University of St Andrews

1997 - 2001: PhD in Neurobiology with Keith Sillar, University of St Andrews 

Research Theme

Synapses, Circuits and Behaviour

Research

Locomotion is a deceptively simple and essential behaviour. We are interested in understanding how neural circuits in the brainstem and spinal cord develop and ultimately control the speed and direction of locomotor movements. To do this, we study innate and learned exploration and evasion in developing zebrafish using a combination of behavioural, imaging, electrophysiological and molecular approaches. By revealing basic principles of motor circuit organization, we hope to provide insights into disorders that affect our capacity to move, like ALS, epilepsy or spinal injury.

Funding

• National Institutes of Health
• National Science Foundation
• Human Frontier Science Program
• Wellcome Trust
• BBSRC

Team members

• Harmen Koning, Postdoctoral Researcher

Collaborations

• James Murray, University of Oregon 
• Marnie Halpern, Dartmouth College 
• Genia Kozorovitskiy, Northwestern University 
• Indira Raman, Northwestern University 
• Malcolm MacIver, Northwestern University 

Publications

Jay M, MacIver MA, McLean DL. Spinal basis of direction control during locomotion in larval zebrafish. J Neurosci. 2023; 43:4062-4074. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0703-22.2023.

Najac M, McLean DL, Raman IM. Synaptic variance and action potential firing of cerebellar output neurons during motor learning in larval zebrafish. Curr Biol. 2023; 33:3299-3311. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.045.

Menelaou E, Kishore S, McLean DL. Mixed synapses reconcile violations of the size principle in zebrafish spinal cord. eLife. 2022; 11. doi: 10.7554/eLife.64063.

Bhattacharyya K, McLean DL, MacIver MA. Intersection of motor volumes predicts the outcome of ambush predation of larval zebrafish. J Exp Biol. 2021; 224. doi: 10.1242/jeb.235481.

Kishore S, Cadoff EB, Agha MA, McLean DL. Orderly compartmental mapping of premotor inhibition in the developing zebrafish spinal cord. Science. 2020; 370:431-436. doi: 10.1126/science.abb4608.

Harmon TC, McLean DL, Raman IM. Integration of swimming-related synaptic excitation and inhibition by olig2(+) eurydendroid neurons in larval zebrafish cerebellum. J Neurosci. 2020; 40:3063-3074. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2322-19.2020.

Bello-Rojas S, Istrate AE, Kishore S, McLean DL. Central and peripheral innervation patterns of defined axial motor units in larval zebrafish. J Comp Neurol. 2019; 527:2557-2572. doi: 10.1002/cne.24689.

Menelaou E, McLean DL. Hierarchical control of locomotion by distinct types of spinal V2a interneurons in zebrafish. Nat Commun. 2019; 10:4197. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-12240-3.

Kumar M, Kishore S, Nasenbeny J, McLean DL, Kozorovitskiy Y. Integrated one- and two-photon scanned oblique plane illumination (SOPi) microscopy for rapid volumetric imaging. Opt Express. 2018; 26:13027-13041. doi: 10.1364/OE.26.013027.

Bhattacharyya K, McLean DL, MacIver MA. Visual threat assessment and reticulospinal encoding of calibrated responses in larval zebrafish. Curr Biol. 2017; 27:2751-2762.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.012.

Harmon TC, Magaram U, McLean DL, Raman IM. Distinct responses of Purkinje neurons and roles of simple spikes during associative motor learning in larval zebrafish. eLife. 2017; 6. doi: 10.7554/eLife.22537.

Kishore S, Bagnall MW, McLean DL. Systematic shifts in the balance of excitation and inhibition coordinate the activity of axial motor pools at different speeds of locomotion. J Neurosci. 2014; 34:14046-54. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0514-14.2014.

Wang WC, McLean DL. Selective responses to tonic descending commands by temporal summation in a spinal motor pool. Neuron. 2014; 83:708-21. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.06.021.

Menelaou E, VanDunk C, McLean DL. Differences in the morphology of spinal V2a neurons reflect their recruitment order during swimming in larval zebrafish. J Comp Neurol. 2014; 522:1232-48. doi: 10.1002/cne.23465.

Bagnall MW, McLean DL. Modular organization of axial microcircuits in zebrafish. Science. 2014; 343:197-200. doi: 10.1126/science.1245629.

Patterson BW, Abraham AO, MacIver MA, McLean DL. Visually guided gradation of prey capture movements in larval zebrafish. J Exp Biol. 2013; 216:3071-83. doi: 10.1242/jeb.087742.

Menelaou E, McLean DL. A gradient in endogenous rhythmicity and oscillatory drive matches recruitment order in an axial motor pool. J Neurosci. 2012; 32:10925-39. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1809-12.2012.

McLean DL, Fetcho JR. Spinal interneurons differentiate sequentially from those driving the fastest swimming movements in larval zebrafish to those driving the slowest ones. J Neurosci. 2009; 29:13566-77. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3277-09.2009.

McLean DL, Masino MA, Koh IY, Lindquist WB, Fetcho JR. Continuous shifts in the active set of spinal interneurons during changes in locomotor speed. Nat Neurosci. 2008; 11:1419-29. doi: 10.1038/nn.2225.

McLean DL, Fan J, Higashijima S, Hale ME, Fetcho JR. A topographic map of recruitment in spinal cord. Nature. 2007; 446:71-5. doi: 10.1038/nature05588.

Bhatt DH, McLean DL, Hale ME, Fetcho JR. Grading movement strength by changes in firing intensity versus recruitment of spinal interneurons. Neuron. 2007; 53:91-102. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2006.11.011.

McLean DL, Fetcho JR. Ontogeny and innervation patterns of dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and serotonergic neurons in larval zebrafish. J Comp Neurol. 2004; 480:38-56. doi: 10.1002/cne.20280.

McLean DL, Fetcho JR. Relationship of tyrosine hydroxylase and serotonin immunoreactivity to sensorimotor circuitry in larval zebrafish. J Comp Neurol. 2004; 480:57-71. doi: 10.1002/cne.20281.

McLean DL, Sillar KT. Metamodulation of a spinal locomotor network by nitric oxide. J Neurosci. 2004; 24:9561-71. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1817-04.2004.

McLean DL, Sillar KT. Divergent actions of serotonin receptor activation during fictive swimming in frog embryos. J Comp Physiol A. 2004; 190:391-402. doi: 10.1007/s00359-004-0504-9.

McLean DL, Sillar KT. Spinal and supraspinal functions of noradrenaline in the frog embryo: consequences for motor behaviour. J Physiol. 2003; 551:575-87. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2003.045229.

McLean DL, Sillar KT. Nitric oxide selectively tunes inhibitory synapses to modulate vertebrate locomotion. J Neurosci. 2002; 22:4175-84. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-10-04175.2002.

McLean DL, Sillar KT. Spatiotemporal pattern of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase reactivity in the developing central nervous system of premetamorphic Xenopus laevis tadpoles. J Comp Neurol. 2001; 437:350-62. doi: 10.1002/cne.1288.

McLean DL, McDearmid JR, Sillar KT. Induction of a non-rhythmic motor pattern by nitric oxide in hatchling Rana temporaria embryos. J Exp Biol. 2001; 204:1307-17. doi: 10.1242/jeb.204.7.1307.

McLean DL, Sillar KT. The distribution of NADPH-diaphorase-labelled interneurons and the role of nitric oxide in the swimming system of Xenopus laevis larvae. J Exp Biol. 2000; 203:705-13. doi: 10.1242/jeb.203.4.705.

Information for students:

Willingness to discuss research projects with undergraduate and postgraduate students: YES - please click here