Thomas Watson

Summary

My current research focuses on the understanding of neuronal network function in neurodevelopmental disorders.

The overall aim of my research is to understand how groups of neurones in disparate brain regions co-ordinate their activity to form distributed, functionally relevant neuronal networks. In particular, I am interested in cerebro-cerebellar and fear-related brain circuits. My current research aim is try to explore neural dynamics within such networks in models of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. To do so, I am using a variety of multi-site, in vivo electrophysiology, viral and optogenetic techniques in awake, behaving rodents.

Personal profile

2018 - Present: Postdoctoral fellow with Peter Kind, CDBS, University of Edinburgh
Postdoctoral fellow with Dr Laure Rondi-Reig. Paris Sorbonne University, France.
Postdoctoral fellow with Prof Richard Apps and Prof Bridget Lumb. University of Bristol, UK.
PhD, University of Bristol. Supervisors: Prof Richard Apps and Prof Matt Jones.
BSc in Biological Sciences with Hons in Neuroscience (1st), University of Edinburgh

Current PhD student supervision

Sabina Couto Ovejero (Marie Curie)
JingJing Ye (Marie Curie)
Sophia Richter (Precision Medicine)
Irenie Shiangoli (Simons Initiative for Developing Brain)

Funding

Marie Curie Innovative Training Network: Cerebellar and Emotional Networks (CEN, 2021-present).
Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain Research Grant (2021-present) “Characterising and manipulating distributed cerebello-midbrain circuits in a rat model of SYNGAP1 haploinsufficiency: a role in fear extinction learning?”
BBSRC European Partnering Award (2018). An Anglo-French-German consortium to understand cerebellar contributions to emotional behaviour.

Publications

Watson TC, Booker SA. Somatostatin interneurons recruit pre- and postsynaptic GABAB receptors in the adult mouse dentate gyrus. In revision. eNeuro.
Apps R, Frontera J, Mapelli L, Watson TC. (2024).Editorial: Distributed networks: new outlooks on cerebellar function, volume II. Front Syst Neurosci.
Couto Ovejero S1•, Ye JJ1•, Kind PC1, Till SM1•, Watson TC1•(2023). Cerebellar contributions to fear-based emotional processing: relevance to understanding the neural circuits involved in autism. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience Special Topic. • equal contribution
Anstey, NJ, Kapgal, V, Tiwari, S, Watson TC, et al. (2022). Imbalance of flight–freeze responses and their cellular correlates in the Nlgn3−/y rat model of autism. Molecular Autism 13, 34 (2022).
Torres AT, Watson TC*, Rondi-Reig L*. (2022). Delta oscillations coordinate intra-cerebellar and cerebello - hippocampal network dynamics during sleep. J. Neuroscience.1479-21 * equal contribution.
Torres AT, Watson TC*, Rondi-Reig L*. (2021) Delta oscillations coordinate intra-cerebellar and cerebello - hippocampal network dynamics during sleep. bioRxiv 2021.05.04.442571.* Equal contribution.
Hristova K*, Martinez-Gonzalez C*, WatsonTC* et al. (2021). Medial Septal GABAergic Neurons Reduce Seizure Durations Upon Wireless Optogenetic Closed-Loop Stimulation in Epilepsy. Brain 144:1576-1589. * Equal contribution.
Till S*, Katsanevaki D*, Buller-Peralta, I, Watson, TC et al. Heterozygous deletion of SYNGAP enzymatic domains in rats causes selective learning, social and seizure phenotypes. bioRxiv 2020.10.14.339192. * Equal contribution.
Anstey NJ, Kapgal V, Tiwari S, Watson TC et al. (2020). Imbalance of flight-freeze responses and their cellular correlates in the Nlgn3-/y rat model of autism. bioRxiv 2020.08.27.267880.
Watson TC, Obiang P, Torres AT, Watilliaux A, Coulon P, Rochefort C, Rondi-Reig L. (2019). Anatomical and physiological foundations of cerebello-hippocampal interaction. eLife 8:e41896.
Watson TC• and Apps R. (2019). Cerebro-cerebellar connections. In: Handbook of Cerebellar Disorders (Manto M, Ed). *Co-Corresponding author.
Watson TC•, Cerminara NL, Lumb BM, Apps R. (2016). Neural correlates of fear in the periaqueductal grey. J. Neuroscience. Dec 14; 36. *Corresponding author.
Lawrenson CL, Watson TC, Apps R. (2016). Transmission of Predictable Sensory Signals to the Cerebellum via Climbing Fiber Pathways Is Gated during Exploratory Behavior. J. Neuroscience. Jul 27; 36.
Perentos N, Martins A, Watson TC, Bartsch U, Mitchell NL, Palmer DN, Jones MW, Morton AJ. (2015). Neural networks in sheep: Measuring sleep and neurological dysfunction in a large animal model of Batten’s disease. Brain. 138: 862-74.
Hickey L, Li Y, Fyson SJ, Watson TC, Perrins R, Hewinson J, Teschemacher AG, Furue H, Lumb BM, Pickering AE. (2014). Optoactivation of locus ceruleus neurons evokes bidirectional changes in thermal nociception in rats. J. Neuroscience. Mar 19; 34.
Koutsikou S*, Watson TC*, Crook JJ, Leith JL, Lawrenson CL, Apps R, Lumb BM. (2015). The Periaqueductal Gray Orchestrates Sensory and Motor Circuits at Multiple Levels of the Neuraxis. J. Neuroscience. Oct 21; 35 * Co-first authors.
Watson TC, Koutsikou S, Apps, R, Jones MW. Eds. (2015). Distributed Networks: New Outlooks on Cerebellar Function. E-Book. Lausanne: Frontiers Media.
Watson TC. (2015). “And the little brain said to the big brain...” Frontiers in systems Neuroscience. 9:78.
Watson TC, Apps, R, Jones MW. (2014). Back to front: cerebellar connections and interactions with the prefrontal cortex. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience. 8:4.
Watson TC, Koutsikou S, Cerminara NL, Flavell CR, Crook JJ, Lumb BM, Apps R. (2013). The olivo-cerebellar system and its relationship to survival circuits. Frontiers in Neural Circuits.7:72.
Watson TC, Jones MW, Apps R. (2009). Electrophysiological mapping of novel prefrontal -cerebellar pathways. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience. 3:18

Thomas Watson

Summary

Personal profile

Current PhD student supervision

Funding

Publications

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