We study how the human brain develops and change across the lifespan.
COVID-19 update: It has been a very challenging year and the Murphy lab wants to thank all of the frontline workers, healthcare professionals, grocery store clerks, delivery workers and everyone else who is out there everyday taking care of us -- THANK YOU.
  • My lab is studying the effects of COVID-19 on the brain.  We are in contact with the brain banks to use our expertise studying the expression of cytokines and chemokine in the human brain to study how the brain is changed by COVID-19.  Also, we launched a series of studies to help identify potential brain areas and ages with heightened vulnerability to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
  • With the support of a new NSERC RTI grant, we have purchased automated robotic processing of protein quantification so that our lab experiments can continue while maintaining physical distancing.
  • Finally, all of my undergraduate and graduate classes will continue to be offered using some exciting online approaches that are truly 21st century.

Stay healthy and stay safe.
Kathy Murphy
In my lab, we study development of the human visual cortex.  My students and I are uncovering new insights about how our brain changes and how those changes affect how we see.
More than 20 areas in the human cortex process visual information and our studies are answering important questions about how those areas develop.
  • We understand that continued maturation into our 30s is part of healthy brain development.  
  • We have linked cognitive and perceptual changes with molecular changes in the brain.
  • We know that there is much more to learn about how the human brain develops.
My students have done amazing research and gone on to pursue careers in academic and non-academic settings.  I'm looking for students who want to join our team on this journey to make the next discovery about how the human brain develops.
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My book of synaptosome protocols published in the Springer Nature series of NeuroMethods series.
"This volume describes techniques to make synaptosomes, and discusses numerous ways that synaptosomes are used to study and answer diverse questions about synapses. After examining the history that led to making synaptosomes, the chapters delved into its important as a tool to explore synaptic connections. Some of the topics covered in this book are: synaptosome bioenergetics and glutamate release; affinity proteomics for interactome and phosphoproteome screening in synaptosomes; isolation of highly purified and functionally active synaptic mitochondria; and profiling of microRNA and protein from purified synaptoneurosomes in a neurodegenerative disease model. In Neuromethods series style, chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your laboratory.
 Cutting-edge and thorough, Synaptosomes is a valuable resource for any researcher interested in learning more about this developing field."

We study the developing brain

  • We use a library of rare & valuable postmortem tissue samples from the human brain 
  • and a collection of animal models
  • to study development and plasticity in the visual areas of the brain

We are exploring how normal and abnormal experience affects developing synapses and plasticity in the brain.

We use cellular and molecular tools to measure the expression of neural proteins, especially proteins involved in neuroplasticity, and we quantify how synaptic and non-synaptic proteins change across the lifespan and after different types of visual experience.

Human Brain Development

We found that development of the human brain is slow and the
visual cortex is not fully mature until about 35 years of age.

Experience & Neuroplasticity

We found that certain synaptic proteins important for regulating neuroplasticity are vulnerable to abnormal visual experience.

Promoting Recovery

We found that that perceptual training and binocular vision can promote recovery of vulnerable neuroplasticity mechanisms.

Who do you know that is interested in the human brain and wants to do graduate studies in neuroscience?

Come to work on translation

We are building models to translated synaptic age between animal models and humans.  This is important for translating biologically inspired treatments for a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Come to study synaptic plasticity

 We are comparing synaptic plasticity mechanisms in different areas of the human brain and in animal models to answer why certain visual behaviours are more or less plasticity.  This is important for finding new treatments for visual disorders.

Come to explore the human brain

We are uncovering new insights into how mechanisms regulating plasticity develop and change in the human brain.  This is important for understanding how the normal brain functions and the potential for recovery from visual, neurological or psychiatric disorders.
​​Oh, and did I mention that I have great students doing cool stuff in the lab and in their outreach activities like organizing Out of Our MiNDS and starting a podcast about how COVID affects the brain (launching soon).
Here are the wonderful students that I've had the pleasure to work with, supervise, mentor and learn from.
Email me if you are interested in joining the lab (kmurphy@mcmaster.ca)

THE DETAILS ARE IN OUR PUBLICATIONS

Thank you for visiting the Visual Neuroscience Lab webpage.
Please contact me if you have questions -- Dr Kathryn Murphy
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