The Deepak Srivastava lab investigates synaptic biology, focusing on cellular and physiological aspects with a translational focus. Their main goal is to develop an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie synaptic function in neurodevelopmental, psychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions. They study the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of glutamatergic synapses and how genetic risk factors impact synaptic biology. To achieve this, they utilize cellular models including primary neuronal cultures as well as patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

The Srivastava lab have several key focus areas in their. They are particularly interested in how estrogens and other steroids modulate synaptic structure and function and how such mechanisms may differ in female and male brains. They also take a functional genomics approach to translate genetic risk to neurobiology, specifically focusing on how common and rare genetic variants may interact to increase the likelihood of developing certain disorders or conditions. Finally, the Srivastava lab are interested in leveraging the potential of patient-specific iPSCs to understand how genetic and environmental factors combine to unmask risk or resilience for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders and conditions, and how this cellular model could be used to recapitulate clinically relevant and core aspects of these disorders.

Srivastava is the director of the Wohl Cellular Imaging Centre, an advanced light microscopy facility specialising in imaging needs for neuroscience research. Using the advanced microscopes in this imaging facility, their groups use state-of-the-art cellular imaging approaches to elucidate molecular mechanisms of synaptic function.