Group Leader
Understanding Fear, Memory, and Brain Adaptation
Fear learning helps us survive dangerous situations, but the same biological systems can also create harmful, persistent memories that contribute to phobias and post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Fear extinction, the process of learning that a once‑threatening cue is now safe, is essential for recovering from traumatic experiences. While the brain circuits involved in extinction are well mapped, the molecular mechanisms driving this form of learning are still not fully understood.
Our Research Focus
We aim to uncover the fundamental molecular processes that shape fear‑related learning and memory. Using animal models, we investigate how DNA and RNA modifications, along with specific noncoding RNAs, influence learning, cellular function, and real‑time brain adaptation.
Our long‑term goal is to identify the molecular pathways that support memory formation and stability, and to explore RNA‑based therapeutics as potential treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders involving cognitive impairment.
Latest news
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Researchers discover new classes of RNA for learning and memory
28 November 2023 -
‘Junk DNA’ key to controlling fear
23 March 2022
Latest Media
Podcast: Exploring new territory in RNA and neuroscience
Memory: The Hidden Pathways That Make Us Human | World Science Festival
RNA Q&A
Cutting-edge technologies, such as long-read sequencing, are giving researchers, like Professor Timothy Bredy unprecedented insights into cells to better understand the functional roles of various classes of RNA. The Bredy lab’s research into the RNA-based mechanisms regulating neuronal capacity during fear-related learning and memory have clearly illustrated that our genes alone don’t dictate destiny.