Decoding how astrocyte–neuron circuits regulate sleep
We investigate how glial and neuronal networks shape sleep dynamics and cognition
using in vivo electrophysiology and imaging.
News
Stay Informed About GHerrera Lab
October 2026
Sleep Europe 2026 brings a diverse faculty of international experts from various fields of sleep. The programme once again features our usual tracks, and now Sleep Technology as the latest addition. It comprises oral sessions, lectures, symposia, masterclasses, round tables, and poster sessions, complemented by dedicated activities such as Early Career Day, Breakfast Buzzes, and European Network Sessions.
Prof. Dr. Carolina Gutierrez Herrera will co-chair and moderate the following sessions
Frontiers in Sleep Research: From Circuits to Translation (Part I) - Tuesday, 20 Oct, 13:00 - 14:30 CEST
Frontiers in Sleep Research: From Circuits to Translation (Part II) - Tuesday, 20 Oct, 15:00 - 16:30 CEST
Genes, Glia and Plasticity: From Sleep Biology to Behaviour
Friday, 23 Oct, 08:30 - 09:30 CEST
Cajal Course on Neurobiology of Sleep
19 Nov - 8 Dec 2026
Prof. Dr. Carolina Gutierrez Herrera is co-directing the inaugural Cajal Course on Neurobiology of Sleep. The course offers a comprehensive overview of current knowledge, and remaining gaps, in sleep regulation and function, and in the dynamics of brain activity during sleep across species. World-leading experts will guide participants through the latest advances in the field.
The course features hands-on training in cutting-edge approaches, including brain imaging, recordings, manipulations, computational modelling, and data analysis. It also takes a comparative perspective, drawing on different animal models and human research.
By applying these diverse techniques to sleep research, participants will deepen their understanding of sleep science and gain practical experience with a wide range of advanced tools and methods.
Published 15 July 2026
Nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) supports neural plasticity, memory consolidation, and recovery after brain injury through thalamocortical slow waves (0.5-4 Hz) and spindles (10-16 Hz). Thalamic strokes, though rare, often disrupt sleep architecture, NREMS oscillations, and cognition. Conventional rodent stroke models cannot reach deep brain structures and require anesthesia, limiting the study of thalamic dysfunction after injury. We developed an optically guided photothrombotic model that produces focal, anesthesia-free lesions of the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) in freely behaving mice. We tested whether MD stroke impairs thalamocortical oscillations and cognition, and whether sleep-targeted auditory stimulation rescues these deficits.
30th Bernese Sleep-Wake-Epilepsy Day 2026
05.11.2026
from 09:00 to 17:00 in the Lecture Hall Langhans.
The team will participate in the event and present a poster on their work. Please visit the event's website for more information and on the schedule.
