Prof. Dr. Henrique P. Gersdorff

Profile

Academic positionFull Professor
Research fieldsMolecular and Cellular Neurology and Neuropathology,Biophysics,Sensory and Behavioural Biology
Keywordsshort-term synaptic plasticity, ribbon synapses, auditory system, retina, electrophysiology

Current contact address

CountryUnited States of America
CityPortland
InstitutionOregon Health & Science University
InstituteVollum Institute
Homepagehttp://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/vollum/faculty/faculty-profile.cfm?facultyID=381

Host during sponsorship

Prof. Dr. Erwin NeherAbteilung Membranbiophysik, Max-Planck-Institut für Multidisziplinäre Naturwissenschaften, Göttingen
Prof. Dr. Tobias MoserInnerEarLab, Department of Otolaryngology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen
Start of initial sponsorship01/02/1996

Programme(s)

1995Humboldt Research Fellowship Programme
1996Human Frontier Science Fellowship Program
2012Humboldt Research Award Programme

Nominator's project description

Professor von Gersdorff is a leading neurophysiologist and expert in the field of synaptic transmission in sensory systems. With his work on synapses in the retina, inner ear and auditory pathway he has made seminal contributions to our understanding of synaptic transmission and sensory processing. In the nineteen nineties he pioneered studies of fundamental mechanisms of exocytosis and endocytosis at presynaptic active zones of retinal neurons. Professor von Gersdorff's interest in synaptic plasticity led him to highly recognized studies of short-term plasticity at the calyx of Held synapse in the auditory pathway. In Germany he continues his research on synapses in eye and ear.