The laboratory is located on the 6th floor of the Center for Health Science (CHS) at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). We are part of the Department of Neurobiology in the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA. The Department focuses its research activities on small systems neuroscience.
The Schweizer laboratory uses electrophysiological and optical tools to investigate the dynamic molecular mechanisms underlying neurotransmitter release. In one line of research, we are focusing on modulation of neurotransmitter release from vestibular hair cells by microgravitiy and by aminoglycosides. We are addressing how neurotransmitter release is regulated in the short term (short-term plasticity) and how synaptic vesicles can move between physiologically distinct pools. We are currently focusing on protein ubiquitination as a possible regulator of presynaptic release mechanisms.