Strong Hall facade in bright sunlight

Eduardo Rosa-Molinar Lab

Eduardo Rosa-Molinar
Eduardo Rosa-Molinar Lab
Haworth Hall, Room 1036
1200 Sunnyside Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66045

Research Overview

Rosa-Molinar and his group apply to multi-scale multi-modal correlated volume resin microscopies a systems engineering process concept known as “imaging chain” that includes determining provenance, searching, mining, processing, analyzing, displaying, storing, and managing datasets. The imaging chain enables the group to develop, refine, and use imaging tools and reagents to create image data sets  required to unravel synapses’ three-dimensional nano-scale geometry and molecular diversity. They are particularly interested in electrical synapses (e.g., gap junctions), specifically “mixed synapses,” a poorly studied synapse that combines the features of both chemical and electrical synapses.

Student, staff, and faculty training in the laboratory and in workshops focuses on preparing a diverse and inclusive workforce of neuroscientists, microscopists, and neurotechnology developers required to advance science.

Research Interests

He and his group’s research interest is in the emerging field of neurotechnology, specifically developing/refining reagents, tools, and workflows for multi-scale multi-modal correlated volume resin microscopies required to determine the three-dimensional nano-scale geometry and molecular diversity of synapses. They are particularly interested in electrical synapses (e.g., gap junctions), specifically “mixed synapses,” a poorly studied synapse that combines the features of both chemical and electrical synapses.

Freeze fracture image of a E-face spinal mixed synapse labeled for Connexin-35 (Cx35; 6-nm gold beads; white arrow heads), a fish ortholog of mammalian Cx36, and a postsynaptic density (PSD) clusters of E-face intramembrane particles identified as glutamate receptors based on weak but positive labeling for NMDAR1 (12-nm gold bead, white complete arrow).
Freeze fracture image of a E-face spinal mixed synapse labeled for Connexin-35 (Cx35; 6-nm gold beads; white arrow heads), a fish ortholog of mammalian Cx36, and a postsynaptic density (PSD) clusters of E-face intramembrane particles identified as glutamate receptors based on weak but positive labeling for NMDAR1 (12-nm gold bead, white complete arrow).

Lab Members

Assistant Researchers

Former Members

Name Title Post KU
Aidyn Medina-Lopez Graduate Student Lead Applications Scientist, Ronawk, Inc., Olathe, KS

Joe Farthing

Graduate Student CritiTech Particle Engineering Solutions, Lawrence, KS
Noraida Martinez-Rivera, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Researcher Correlative Light and Electron Microscopist in the KU Microscopy and Analytical Imaging Research Resource Core Lab
Natasha Roman-Ortiz Assistant Researcher
Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) Fellow
Ph.D. student, University of Minnesota
Carolina Santiago-Robles Assistant Researcher
Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) Fellow
Ph.D. student, Columbia University
Heather Shinogle-Decker Graduate Student
Neuroscience/MAI Laboratory Research Director
Ronawk LLC, Olathe, KS

Selected Publications

Eduardo Rosa-Molinar Publications (PubMed)

Eduardo Rosa-Molinar Lab