Research Expertise and Interest synaptic transmission, cellular neurophysiology; synaptic biophysics, properties of neural circuits, photolysis, vital dyes of vesicle membrane, electrophysiological techniques, neuromodulator Research Description Synapses are not static; they are highly regulated. The strength of synaptic transmission can wax and wane after a bout of activity, and this shapes the information processing properties of neural circuits. Robert Zucker is fascinated by the mechanisms regulating synaptic transmission. In his lab, they use biophysical methods such as control of second messengers by photolysis of light sensitive caged compounds, measurement of second messengers with fluorescent dyes, tracking of vesicle movements with vital vesicle membrane labeling dyes, and computational modeling, as well as electrophysiological techniques, to study the mechanisms underlying regulation of synaptic transmission.