Group leader
Professor Frederic Meunier
Professorial Research Fellow
Affiliate of the Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research
Affiliate of the Centre for RNA in Neuroscience
Research overview
The Meunier lab investigates how neurons communicate, adapt and survive in health and disease, using advanced mass spectrometry, live-cell super-resolution microscopy and computational analysis. Their research focuses on synaptic transmission, vesicle dynamics, lipid metabolism and neurodegeneration.
Lipid metablism and neuronal function
The lab investigate how lipid metabolism supports synaptic plasticity and memory. This work has identified a DDHD2-dependent pathway linking lipid signalling to mitochondrial function and cognitive decline in ageing and dementia.
Nanoscale organisation of neurotransmission
This research explores how neurotransmitter release is organised at the nanoscale, studying how vesicles, cytoskeletal elements and key synaptic proteins coordinate to regulate exocytosis and synaptic activity neurons.
Neurological disease and dementia
The lab examine how disruptions in synaptic function and metabolism contribute to neurological disorders, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, synucleinopathies and dementia, with a focus on shared disease mechanisms. Their findings identify shared mechanisms underlying epilepsy, synucleinopathies, dementia and age-related cognitive decline.
Neurotropic viruses and antiviral strategies
The lab investigate how viruses interact with neurons and host cells, including mechanisms of viral entry, cell fusion and neurotropism, to inform the development of host-directed antiviral strategies. The team investigate neurotropic potential of emerging viral variants and host-cell pathways that regulate viral entry, assembly and infectivity, supporting the development of host-directed antiviral strategies.
Latest news
- 11 August 2025
- 18 June 2025
- 26 November 2024
- 6 February 2024
- 15 November 2023
- 15 June 2023
Pages
Tthe surprising role of fat in memory formation
10 Years, 10 Reasons: Professor Fred Meunier