Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Lipp

 

Main Goals, Keywords

Our laboratory conducts studies aimed at the elucidation of the relations between genes, brain, behavior and evolution in laboratory and wild-living species.

Key words: Hippocampus, Mossy fibers, Genetically modified mice, Adult neurogenesis, Natural selection, Bats, Wild rodents, Foxes, Behavioral phenotyping, IntelliCages, Neurologgers, Large-scale spatial cognition, Graviception.

Group Members

1 professor, 2 senior research fellows, 1 postdoctoral fellow, 2 PhD students, 3 technicians, 4 MD students.

Current Research

• Behavioral and electrophysiological phenotyping of normal and mutant laboratory mice, using novel approaches. These include the use of automated home cages (IntelliCages) assessing spontaneous behavior and cognitive abilities of mice living in social groups. This is complemented by analyzing the EEG with novel ultralight data loggers (neurologgers), and by survival studies of mutant mice living in large outdoor pens in western Russia.
• Ecological brain research. We attempt to elucidate the physiological and ecological function of adult neurogenesis in wild mammals (foxes, bats, wild rodents) by comparing it with findings in laboratory mice.
• Analysis of large-scale spatial cognition in homing pigeons and bats, focussing on the role of the olfactory system. We also study the role of graviception in homing pigeons, which could offer a biological global positioning system. To this aim, we record, in the Ukraine and Italy, the flight paths of homing pigeons carrying small GPS data loggers, and record their EEG during flight, matching flight course with alterations of electrical brain activity.

Future Projects

We will continue to study hippocampal neuroanatomy, memory and learning of mice and small rodents in the natural environment and, for knockout mice, in the laboratory. For this purpose, we are expanding the standardized behavioral test battery in the laboratory, and are developing new transponder-based learning set-ups that can be used outdoors or in the wild. The main effort in prion research is to expand studies on rodent species that succumb quickly to BSE inoculation. For homing pigeons, we plan to apply path recorders to study the homing pathes using self-developed software.

Techniques and Equipment

Neurohistological facilities, computerized morphometry and stereology using image analysis systems (MCID) and NIH public domain software. Extensive test battery for behavioral assessment of knockout mice (swimming navigation, two-way avoidance, contextual fear conditioning, radial and Y-mazes, and neurological test batteries for adult and developing mice (Fox battery). Transponder-operated feeder/trapping system including software. Facilities and methods for 2-deoxyglucose studies.

Selected Publications

• Gatome, C.W., Slomianka, L., Mwangi, D.K., Lipp, H.P. & Amrein, I. The entorhinal cortex of the Megachiroptera: a comparative study of Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bat and the straw-coloured fruit bat. Brain Struct Funct 214: 375-393 (2010).
• Krackow, S., Vannoni, E., Codita, A., Mohammed, A.H., Cirulli, F., Branchi, I., Alleva, E., Reichelt, A., Willuweit, A., Voikar, V., Colacicco, G., Wolfer, D.P., Buschmann, J.U., Safi, K. & Lipp, H.P. Consistent behavioral phenotype differences between inbred mouse strains in the IntelliCage. Genes Brain Behav. Oct; 9(7): 722-731 (2010). Epub 2010 Jul 7.
• Hauser, T., Klaus, F., Lipp, H.P. & Amrein, I. No effect of running and laboratory housing on adult hippocampal neurogenesis in wild caught long-tailed wood mouse. BMC Neurosci 10: 43 (2009).

Selected Lectures, Seminars, Colloquia

• Neuroanatomy for medical students
• Neuroanatomy for biologists
• Neuroanatomy for students of pharmacy

Funding

Swiss National Science Foundation, EU Biotechnology Program, EMDO, Stiftung für wissenschaftliche Forschung der Universität Zürich, Julius-Klaus-Stiftung für Genetik

URL

http://www.anatom.uzh.ch/research/DivisionLipp_en.html