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University of Pittsburgh

 

 

karl kandler

Karl Kandler, PhD

Director Auditory Research Group
Professor of Otolaryngology and Neurobiology
Biomedical Science Tower 3
3501 Fifth Avenue Room 10015
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Phone: 412-624-8398
kkarl@pitt.edu

Biography

1990 - 1993 PhD University of Tübingen, Germany, Advisor: Eckhard Friauf
1993 - 1997 Postdoctoral fellow with Dr. L.C. Katz, HHMI and Duke University
1998-2004 Assistant Professor, Department Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2004-2007 Associate Professor Department Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2007-2010 Associate Professor, Director of Auditory Research Group, Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2010-present Professor, Director of Auditory Research Group, Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2006-present Adjunct faculty, Department of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University

 

Honors and Awards

1983-1988         Fellow of the German National Scholarship Foundation

                       (“Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes”)          

1994-1995         Feodor-Lynen-Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt - Stiftung

1999-2001         Alfred P. Sloan fellow

2000                 Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering

2008                 Chair, Gordon Research Conference "The Auditory System"    

2010-present      Chair, Auditiory Study Section

Research Interest

- Development and Plasticity of Auditory Brainstem Circuits

- Neuronal Mechanisms underlying Tinnitus

Research Summary

Fast and accurate processing of sound is crucial for hearing, including the localization of sound in space and the perception of language. In order to correctly process auditory information the brain depends on precisely organized neuronal circuits. To achieve the high organization that is present in the mature brain , developing auditory circuits undergo a number of structural and functional changes. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie this developmental reorganization and fine-tuning is important for understanding brain development and is crucial for understanding developmental disorders that are rooted in auditory dysfunction including developmetnal dyslexia and childhood tinnitus.

 

Dr. Kandler's laboratory investigates development plasticity of auditory circuits by studying the refinement of neuronal connections in the lateral superior olive (LSO), a nucleus which is involved in sound localization. To this end, Dr. Kandler’s team applies a variety of anatomical and physiological techniques to normal and genetically engineered mice. Current research focuses on the role of neuronal activity and early hearing experience in influencing brain connectivity and on the cellular mechanism by which specific patterns of neuronal activity are translated into specific patterns of connectivity.

Lab Members

Postdoctoral Fellows

Jason Castro, PhD
Elisabet Garcia Pino, PhD
Tuan Nguyen, PhD

Catherine (Cat) Weisz, PhD

Research Associate

Xinyan Gu

Graduate Students

Peter Adelman
Jineta Banerjee

Otolaryngologist Researcher

David Chi, M.D.

Past Lab Members

Amanda Clause, PhD

Deda Gillepie, PhD
Gunsoo Kim, PhD
Aura Kullmann, PhD
Paul Kullmann, PhD
Han Mi Lee, PhD
Ji Hyun Noh, PhD

Selected Publications

Kim G, Kandler K. (2011) Paired recordings from distant inhibitory neuron pairs by a sequential scanning approach.  J Neurosci Methods. 200:185-189.

Castro JB, Kandler K (2010) Changing tune in auditory cortex. Nat Neurosci. 13: 271-273.

Noh J, Seal RP, Garver JA, Edwards RH, Kandler K. (2010) Glutamate co-release at GABA/glycinergic synapses is crucial for the refinement of an inhibitory map. Nature Neuroscience 13: 232-328.

Ene A, Kalmbach A, and Kandler K (2007) Metabotropic glutamate receptors in the lateral superior olive activate TRP-like channels: Age and experience-dependent regulation. J Neurophysiol. 97: 3365–3375.

Kandler K, Clause A, Noh J. (2009) Tonotopic reorganization of developing auditory brainstem circuits. Nat Neurosci. 12:711-717.

Hershfinkel M, Kandler K, Knoch ME, Dagan-Rabin M, Aras MA, Abramovitch-Dahan C, Sekler I, Aizenman E. (2009). Intracellular zinc inhibits KCC2 transporter activity. Nat Neurosci. 12:725-727.

Kullmann PHM and Kandler K (2008) Dendritic Ca2+ responses in neonatal LSO neurons elicited by glycinergic/GABAergic synapses and action potentials. Neuroscience, 12;154(1):338-45.

Seal RP, Akil O, Yi E, Weber CM, Grant L, Yoo J, Clause A, Kandler K, Noebels JL, Glowatzki E, Lustig LR, Edwards RH. (2008) Sensorineural deafness and seizures in mice lacking vesicular glutamate transporter 3. Neuron 57:263-75.  

Gillespie DC, Kim G, Kandler K (2005) Inhibitory synapses in the developing auditory system are glutamatergic. Nature Neuroscience 8: 332-338.

 

Kim G and Kandler K (2003) Elimination and strengthening of inhibitory synapse during establishment of a tonotopic map. Nature Neuroscience. 6: 282-290.

(for full list see here)