Harold D. Mac Gillavry is Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology at the Center for Neurogenomics and Neurocognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam. His research aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms of neuronal communication by quantitatively dissecting the nanoscale organization of synapses.
After obtaining his PhD in 2010 in Amsterdam, he pursued postdoctoral training with Dr Blanpied in Baltimore/USA, where he pioneered the use of super‑resolution imaging to reveal the dynamic, non‑uniform architecture of synapses. In 2014, he received a VENI grant, and a FEBS fellowship to return to the Netherlands and further develop his independent research line at Utrecht University (UU). In 2017 he received the ERC Starting Grant and VIDI to start his research lab in the department of Biology at UU. In 2024, supported by a VICI grant, his lab joined the department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology (MCN) in the Center for Neurogenomics and Neurocognitive Research (CNCR) in Amsterdam.
The objective of the lab is to obtain a quantitative understanding of the molecular organization and function of individual synapses. Specifically, the team aims to clarify:
- how neuronal synapses are organized at the molecular level;
- how this organization is modulated by synaptic activity;
- how disease mechanisms interfere with these processes.
To dissect synaptic structure–function relationships at molecular resolution, the lab employs advanced (super‑resolution) microscopy techniques that localize protein distributions with nanoscale precision. To accurately label and manipulate endogenous proteins in neurons we developed CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing techniques overcoming limitations associated with current labeling strategies. Their work has revealed how the compartmentalized organization of synapses is essential for synaptic function and enables plasticity‑induced modifications of synaptic strength.
