Mameli Manuel

Biography

Biologist by training and specialist in neurobiology, Manuel Mameli focuses his research on the physiology of the states of reward and repulsion at the origin of neuropsychiatric diseases. He was appointed Group Leader in the UNIL Department of Basic Neurosciences (DNF) and Associate Professor of Neuroscience at the Faculty of Biology and Medicine as of January 1, 2017. The work of Manuel Mameli has been recognized and supported by various awards and scholarships: Chair of Excellence of the Paris School of Neuroscience (2010), ATIP-AVENIR (2012), European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant (2013) and Fens-Kavli Network of Excellence Scholar (2014). The researcher has published some forty articles in scientific journals such as Science (2007), Journal of Neuroscience (2015, 2012, 2006), PNAS (2012), Nature Neuroscience (2016, 2015, 2011, and Nature Medicine(2016). The professor is also a member of several learned societies and national and international scientific committees. He is also very involved in pre- and post-graduate education in Paris in particular and has directed several Master and PhD students.  

Research Interest

Understanding the mechanisms involved in states of motivation and reward, or aversion and flight from danger is at the heart of the research activity of Manuel Mameli. The scientist is particularly interested in the synaptic and cellular properties of the neuronal circuits involved in these different states. Another research axis consists of functionally mapping these neuronal circuits in vivo. The professor also aims to better understand the causal relationship between adaptations in certain neuronal circuits and the emergence of psychiatric disorders, such as depression and addiction. To carry out this work, Manuel Mameli uses cellular electrophysiology techniques to measure synaptic transmission, as well as virus-based tools to manipulate neural circuits in certain areas of the mouse brain and to study the consequences behavioral level. In the future, the scientist would like to direct his research towards the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the comorbidity between addiction and depression.