Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, 2002

My lab is interested in the development of neural circuits. The establishment of appropriate connections between specific neurons generates an organism's perception of the outside world and controls behavioral responses. We use the relatively simple circuits in the spinal cord that control reflex movements as a model system to understand the molecular and physiological mechanisms by which circuits develop. These studies employ a wide variety of techniques including mouse genetics, electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy and other advanced imaging techniques.

Imai F, Ladle DR, Leslie JR, Duan X, Rizvi TA, Ciraolo GM, Zheng Y, Yoshida Y. (2016)  Synapse formation in monosynaptic sensory-motor connections is regulated by presynaptic Rho GTPase Cdc42.  J Neurosci. 36:5724-35.

Fukuhara K, Imai F, Ladle DR, Katayama K, Leslie JR, Arber S, Jessell TM, Yoshida Y.  (2013)  Specificity of monosynaptic sensory-motor connections imposed by repellent Sema3E-PlexinD1 signaling.  Cell Rep. 5:748-58. 

Dallman MA, Ladle DR. (2013)  Quantitative analysis of locomotor defects in neonatal mice lacking proprioceptive feedback.  Physiol Behav. 120:97-105.

Sonner PM, Ladle DR. (2013)  Early postnatal development of GABAergic presynaptic inhibition of Ia proprioceptive afferent connections in mouse spinal cord.  J Neurophysiol. 109:2118-28. 

Ausdenmoore BD, Markwell ZA, Ladle DR. (2011) Localization of presynaptic inputs on dendrites of individually labeled neurons in three dimensional space using a center distance algorithm. J Neurosci Methods 200:129-43.

Friese A, Kaltschmidt JA, Ladle DR, Sigrist M, Jessell TM, Arber S. (2009) Gamma and alpha motor neurons distinguished by expression of transcription factor Err3. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106:13588-93.

Ladle DR, Vrieseling-Pecho E, Arber S. (2007) Assembly of motor circuits in the spinal cord: Driven to function by genetic and experience-dependent mechanisms. Neuron 56:270-83 (Review).

Hippenmeyer S, Huber RM, Ladle DR, Murphy K, Arber S. (2007) ETS transcription factor Erm controls subsynaptic gene expression in skeletal muscles. Neuron 55:726-40.

Hippenmeyer S, Vrieseling E, Sigrist M, Portmann T, Laengle C, Ladle DR and Arber S. (2005) A developmental switch in the response of DRG neurons to ETS transcription factor signaling. PLoS Biol 3: e159.

Ladle DR, Frank E. (2002) The role of the ETS gene PEA3 in the development of motor and sensory neurons.Physiol Behav 77: 571-76.

Arber S, Ladle DR, Lin JH, Frank E and Jessell TM. (2000) ETS gene Er81 controls the formation of functional connections between group Ia sensory afferents and motor neurons. Cell 101: 485-498.