Mathieu Di Miceli

Profile

My interest in electrophysiology started after excellent lectures delivered by academics at the University of Montpellier. This prompted me to apply for a research internship in cardiac electrophysiology at the Physiology and Experimental Medicine laboratory in Montpellier (INSERM U1046). My work revolved around the physiopathological alterations occurring during myocardial infarction, and how N-Acetyl-Cystein could be used during rehabilitation. Using a rodent model of myocardial infarction, cardiomyocytes were isolated, using the Langerdorf retroperfusion, to examine the coupling between excitation and contraction of these isolated cells (field electrophysiology with Fura-2-AM fluorescence), and how N-Acetyl-Cystein could reverse the alterations observed after myocardial infarction. These preliminary experiments were used as a pilot study for a bigger study which was published by Dr Cazorla’s group (Andre et al., Antioxid Redox Signal, 2013).

After my experience in cardiac electrophysiology, I joined the Institute for Functional Genomics (CNRS UMR 5203) in Montpellier to study how disruptions in the brain-blood barrier could be involved in epilepsy. My role was to study how organotypic hippocampal slices would behave when immunoglobulin G would be present in the neural parenchyma, using field electrophysiology (fEPSC). Using a dose-response protocol, we identified the threshold at which hippocampal neurons would present signs of altered neurophysiological activity, which formed the main results of the MSc dissertation. In addition to these results, I also participated in supplementary experiments required for the publication of a journal article, comparing animal and human epileptic brain tissue, which was published by Dr Lerner-Natoli’s group (Michalak et al., JNEN, 2012).

In 2012, I joined Dr Gronier’s lab at De Montfort University for a PhD project revolving around the ADHD drug methylphenidate. Using single-cell extracellular electrophysiology in rats, we deciphered the neurophysiological consequences of acute or chronic methylphenidate exposure on dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved in the response to methylphenidate. These results were published in 4 articles (Di Miceli & Gronier, Psychopharmacology, 2015; Di Miceli, Omoloye & Gronier, Prog Neuropsychopharmacol, 2019; Di Miceli, Omoloye & Gronier, Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry, 2022; Di Miceli, Derf & Gronier, Int J Mol Sci, 2022). In addition, other articles were published with our collaborators, using the same recording techniques (Gronier et al., Eur Neuropsychopharmacol, 2018; Di Miceli et al., Front Neural Circuits, 2020) as well as a review paper on a potential new treatment for ADHD, metadoxine (Di Miceli & Gronier, Rev Recent Clin Trials, 2018).

After obtaining my PhD, I joined Dr Layé’s group at the Nutrition and Integrative Neurobiology lab (INRAE 1286) as a post-doctoral researcher. Using patch-clamp single cell electrophysiology, my research aimed at understanding how the endocannabinoid system is influenced by diets enriched or deficient in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3). Following diet manipulations, mice were examined for behavioural and neurophysiological changes. Some of these results have been published (Di Miceli et al., Int J Mol Sci, 2022) while others are currently investigated further. Due to my electrophysiological and data analysis skills, I was also fortunate to be involved in several collaborations (Berland et al., Cell Metab, 2020; Lin et al., J Lipid Res, 2020; Chataigner et al., Front Nutr, 2021; Martin et al., J Neuroendocrinol, 2023; Martin et al., Mol Psychiatry, 2024). During my time in Dr Layé’s group, we also summarized how omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids can play crucial roles in synaptic physiology (Di Miceli, Bosch-Bouju & Layé, Proc Nutri Soc, 2020), especially in the perinatal period (Martinat, Rossitto, Di Miceli & Layé, Nutrients, 2021). 

I joined the University of Worcester in 2021 as a lecturer in Biomedical Sciences. The in silico research I led was focused on the actors of the endocannabinoid system. With my colleagues (Dr Cherry and Dr Wheeler) and an undergraduate student (Mrs Mathisova), we confirmed that TRPV1 is downregulated in temporal lobe epilepsy. Furthermore, GPR55 was found to be upregulated following exposure to tetrahydrocannabinol. In addition, we also confirmed the presence of a common ancestor for CB1R and TRPV1, which diverged from jawless vertebrates during the Ordovician (Cherry, Wheeler, Mathisova & Di Miceli, Front Neuroinform, 2024). 

My current position at the University of Leeds is devoted to teaching Human Anatomy & Physiology. Whilst keeping a keen interest in neurophysiology, I am now involved in pedagogical research, in light of my previous experience (Di Miceli, Eur J Educ, 2023). My role is to support the School of Biomedical Sciences in redefining our teaching portfolio. My responsibilities lie in teaching human anatomy, pharmacology and genetics. I also mentor capstone projects (3rd year students) and have several students to tutor throughout their programs. My broad teaching interests are anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, neuropharmacology, bioinformatics and large-scale data analysis/visualisation. Outside of academia, I enjoy astrophysics, art and the natural world.
 

Research interests

My research revolves around the neurophysiology of dopaminergic and gabaergic neurons in the midbrain. More specifically, I have a keen interest on how endocannabinoids are involved in neurotransmission. Previous publication include neurophysiological alterations in epilepsy (Michalak et al., JNEN, 2012), following exposure to methylphenidate (Di Miceli & Gronier, Psychopharmacology, 2015; Di Miceli, Omoloye & Gronier, Prog Neuropsychopharmacol, 2019; Di Miceli, Omoloye & Gronier, Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry, 2022; Di Miceli, Derf & Gronier, Int J Mol Sci, 2022). In addition, I used electrophysiology to decipher how excitable cells respond to altered brain homeostasis (Gronier et al., Eur Neuropsychopharmacol, 2018; Di Miceli et al., Front Neural Circuits, 2020; Berland et al., Cell Metab, 2020; Lin et al., J Lipid Res, 2020; Chataigner et al., Front Nutr, 2021; Martin et al., J Neuroendocrinol, 2023; Marie et al., FASEB J, 2023; Martin et al., Mol Psychiatry, 2024). More recently, I also used bioinformatics, including modelling, to understand the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in epilepsy or reponse to THC (Cherry, Wheeler, Mathisova & Di Miceli, Front Neuroinform, 2024). Finally, my pedagogical research is centered around diversity in Higher Education (Di Miceli, Eur J Educ, 2023).

Qualifications

• BSc Animal Physiology & Neuroscience (Université de Montpellier, 2010)
• MSc Neuroscience & Endocrinology (Université de Montpellier, 2012)
• PhD Neuropharmacology (De Montfort University, 2016)
• PGCert TLHE (University of Worcester, 2024)
• MCU section 69 (Université de Bordeaux, 2019)

Student education

I am involved in several taught modules at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. These revolve around human anatomy, pharmacology, molecular biology and genetics. In addition, I also teach several workshops on how to approach studying at University. Each year, I also mentor several students for the final BSc (Hons) capstone research projects, as well as mentoring students throughout their programs. I am currently co-programme leader for the Biomedical Sciences (Hons) BSc.