Scientific Committee


DOMINIQUE DEBANNE

Dominique Debanne is Director of Research, group leader and director of the Unit U1072 (Ion channel and synaptic neurobiology) at the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) – University of Aix-Marseille, Marseille.
He obtained his PhD in Neuroscience with Yves Frégnac at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Orsay, University Paris 6, 1992). During his postdoctoral studies in the lab of Beat Gähwiler (University of Zürich) he studied synaptic transmission and characterized for the first time spike-timing dependent synaptic plasticity (STDP; 1994, 1996, 1998). He also revealed an unexpected form of short-term plasticity in hippocampal axons (1997). Dominique Debanne founded his research group in 1998 and obtained the INSERM AVENIR programme in 2000.
His current research is focused on the mechanisms and functional impact of intrinsic plasticity in dendrites and axons of cortical neurons.

His lab group employs multiple whole-cell recordings, hybrid neuron-computer techniques, molecular tools and laser scanning microscopy. His research is supported by ANR, INSERM, Ministry of
Research & Région PACA.