Gittis Lab

Gittis Lab

CMU Biological Sciences

Welcome to the Gittis Lab!

What is the neural basis of motor control? Our research seeks to understand how neural circuits in the basal ganglia are organized and function to shape movement in health and disease.

We use optogenetics, electrophysiology, histology, and behavior to study the function of neural circuits in brain slices and in vivo.

We are now accepting Postdoc applications: Contact Aryn Gittis (agittis@cmu.edu) to apply
We are now accepting Lab Manager applications: Contact Aryn Gittis (agittis@cmu.edu) to apply

Latest News

2022

CONGRATS to Dr. Katrina Nguyen for passing her thesis defense!

CONGRATS to Dr. Gittis for her promotion to full professor!! Woo!

2021

Check out this commentary on Teresa’s paper in Nature Neuroscience Reviews!

CONGRATS to Dr. Teresa Spix on her publication in Science!

Welcome, Emma Gao, first-year Ph.D. Student!

CONGRATS to Dr. Teresa Spix or passing her thesis defense!

CONGRATS to Asier for his Spotlight article for TINS!

CONGRATS to Aryn Gittis, Ph.D. and Jon Rubin, Ph.D. for their CRCNS grant titled: “CRCNS: Diverse effects of GABAergic inputs on a
basal ganglia output center”.

Welcome, Jeff Yurek, Research Technician!

CONGRATS to Katrina Nguyen for her publication in Neuroscience!

Welcome, Maxime Vounatsos, first-year Ph.D. Student!

Welcome, Dan Albaugh Ph.D, Postodoctoral Fellow!

CONGRATS to Dr. Tim Whalen for passing his thesis defense!

CONGRATS to Coach Jenna and her field hockey team’s for winning Nationals!

More lab news >

Latest Publications

Albaugh, D. L., Gittis, A. H. “Stressing the importance of cholinergic interneurons in striatal function.”
Movement Disorders (2021).

Spix, T. A. Nanivadekar, S., Toong, N. Kaplow, I. M., Isett, B. R., Goksen, Y., Pfenning, A. R.,  Gittis,  A. H. “Population-specific neuromodulation prolongs therapeutic benefits of deep brain stimulation.”
Science (2021)

Aristieta, A. and Gittis, A.H. “Distinct globus pallidus circuits regulate motor and cognitive functions.”
Trends in Neuroscience (2021).

Nguyen, K. P., Sharma, A., Gil-Silva, M., Gittis, A. H., Chase, S. M. “Distinct Kinematic Adjustments Accompany Locomotor Skill Development in Mice.”
Neuroscience (2021).

AH Gittis, BM Hooks, CR Gerfen. “Basal ganglia circuits.” Neural Circuit and Cognitive Development. Academic Press (2020) p.221-242

Alyssa J Lawler, Ashley R Brown, Rachel S Bouchard, Noelle Toong, Yeonju Kim, Nitinram Velraj, Grant Fox, Michael Kleyman, Byungsoo Kang, Aryn H Gittis, Andreas R Pfenning. “Cell Type-Specific Oxidative Stress Genomic Signatures in the Globus Pallidus of Dopamine-Depleted Mice.” Journal of Neuroscience (2020)

RS Phillips, I Rosner, AH Gittis, JE Rubin. “The effects of chloride dynamics on substantia nigra pars reticulata responses to pallidal and striatal inputs.” eLife (2020)