About Me
Born 1969 in Berlin Germany. Diploma in Biology from the Free University of Berlin, 1996. PhD in Neurobiology from the Free University of Berlin, 2001. Postdoctoral Fellowships at the University of Cologne, Germany, and Brandeis University, Waltham, MA. Assistant Professor at the University of Florida, 2006-2013. Associate Professor (with tenure) at NJIT, 2013.
Education
Ph.D.
Website
2026 Fall Courses
BIOL 726 - INDEPENDENT STUDY II
BIOL 441 - NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 790B - DOCT DISSERTATION & RESRCH
BIOL 640 - CELLULAR NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 441 - NEUROPHYSIOLOGY-HONORS
BIOL 725 - INDEPENDENT STUDY I
BIOL 792C - PRE-DOCTORAL RESEARCH
BIOL 491 - SENIOR PROJECT
BIOL 790A - DOCT DISSERTATION & RESRCH
BIOL 790C - DOCTORAL DISSERTN & RESRCH
BIOL 792B - PRE-DOCTORAL RESEARCH
BIOL 492 - RESEARCH & INDEPENDENT STUDY
BIOL 790E - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
BIOL 700B - MASTER'S PROJECT
BIOL 790D - DOCT DISSERTATION & RESRCH
Teaching Interests
neuroscience, animal physiology, imaging techniques
Past Courses
BIOL 340: MAMMALIAN PHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 341: INTRO TO NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 341: INTRODUCTION TO NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 347: LAB APPROACHES IN NEUROSCIENCE
BIOL 441: NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 441: NEUROPHYSIOLOGY-HONORS
BIOL 447: SYSTEMS NEUROBIOLOGY
BIOL 640: CELLULAR NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 698: ST: MODULATORS AND PLASTICITY
BIOL 698: ST: NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
BIOL 698: ST: NEUROSCIENCE APPROACHES
BIOL 698: ST:BIOLOGICAL IMAGING
Research Interests
neuroscience: central pattern generation, neuromodulation, neural coding
Journal Article
Xinping Li, Omar Itani, Dirk M. Bucher, Horacio G. Rotstein, Farzan Nadim. 2023. "Distinct Mechanisms Underlie Electrical Coupling Resonance and Its Interaction with Membrane Potential Resonance." Frontiers in Systems Biology, vol. 3, pp. 1122433.
Haroon Anwar, Diana Martinez, Dirk M. Bucher, Farzan Nadim. 2022. "Inter-Animal Variability in Activity Phase Is Constrained by Synaptic Dynamics in an Oscillatory Network." eNeuro , vol. 9, no. 4.
Srinivas Gorur-Shandilya, Elizabeth M Cronin, Anna C Schneider, Sarah Haddad, Dirk M. Bucher, Farzan Nadim, Eve Marder. 2022. "Mapping circuit dynamics during function and dysfunction." Elife, vol. 11.
Anna C Schneider, David Fox, Omar Itani, Jorge P. Golowasch, Dirk M. Bucher, Farzan Nadim. 2021. "Frequency-Dependent Action of Neuromodulation." eNeuro , vol. 8, no. 6.
Nelly Daur, Farzan Nadim, Dirk M. Bucher. 2021. "Synaptic Dynamics Convey Differential Sensitivity to Input Pattern Changes in Two Muscles Innervated by the Same Motor Neurons." eNeuro , vol. 8, no. 6.
Diana Martinez, Haroon Anwar, Amitabha K. Bose, Dirk M. Bucher, Farzan Nadim. "Short-Term Synaptic Dynamics Control the Activity Phase of Neurons in an Oscillatory Network." eLife.
X Li , Dirk M. Bucher, Farzan Nadim. 2018. "Distinct Co-Modulation Rules of Synapses and Voltage-Gated Currents Coordinate Interactions of Multiple Neuromodulators.." The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 38, no. 40, pp. 8549-8562.
K M Lett, V J Garcia, S Temporal, Dirk M. Bucher, D J Schulz. 2017. "Removal of endogenous neuromodulators in a small motor network enhances responsiveness to neuromodulation.." Journal of neurophysiology, vol. 118, no. 3, pp. 1749-1761.
Y Zhang, Dirk M. Bucher, Farzan Nadim. 2017. "Ionic mechanisms underlying history-dependence of conduction delay in an unmyelinated axon.." eLife, vol. 6.
H Anwar, X Li , Dirk M. Bucher, Farzan Nadim. 2017. "Functional roles of short-term synaptic plasticity with an emphasis on inhibition.." Current opinion in neurobiology, vol. 43, pp. 71-78.
N Daur, Farzan Nadim, Dirk M. Bucher. 2016. "The complexity of small circuits: the stomatogastric nervous system.." Current opinion in neurobiology, vol. 41, pp. 1-7.
V J Garcia, N Daur, S Temporal, D J Schulz, Dirk M. Bucher. 2015. "Neuropeptide receptor transcript expression levels and magnitude of ionic current responses show cell type-specific differences in a small motor circuit.." The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 35, no. 17, pp. 6786-800.
Dirk M. Bucher, Peter AV Anderson. 2015. "Evolution of the first nervous systems – what can we surmise?." Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 218, pp. 501-503.
Dirk M. Bucher, Eve Marder. 2013. "SnapShot: Neuromodulation." Cell, pp. 155: 482-482 e481.
N Daur, A S Bryan, V J Garcia, Dirk M. Bucher. 2012. "Short-term synaptic plasticity compensates for variability in number of motor neurons at a neuromuscular junction.." The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 32, no. 45, pp. 16007-17.
A W Ballo, Farzan Nadim, Dirk M. Bucher. 2012. "Dopamine modulation of Ih improves temporal fidelity of spike propagation in an unmyelinated axon.." The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 32, no. 15, pp. 5106-19.
Dirk M. Bucher, J M Goaillard. 2011. "Beyond faithful conduction: short-term dynamics, neuromodulation, and long-term regulation of spike propagation in the axon.." Progress in neurobiology, vol. 94, no. 4, pp. 307-46.
A W Ballo, J C Keene, P J Troy, M L Goeritz, Farzan Nadim, Dirk M. Bucher. 2010. "Dopamine modulates Ih in a motor axon.." The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 30, no. 25, pp. 8425-34.
A W Ballo, Dirk M. Bucher. 2009. "Complex intrinsic membrane properties and dopamine shape spiking activity in a motor axon.." The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 29, no. 16, pp. 5062-74.
Dirk M. Bucher. 2009. "Neuronal homeostasis: does form follow function or vice versa?." Current biology : CB, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. R64-7.
Dirk M. Bucher, C D Johnson, E Marder. 2007. "Neuronal morphology and neuropil structure in the stomatogastric ganglion of the lobster, Homarus americanus.." The Journal of comparative neurology, vol. 501, no. 2, pp. 185-205.
E Marder, Dirk M. Bucher. 2007. "Understanding circuit dynamics using the stomatogastric nervous system of lobsters and crabs.." Annual review of physiology, vol. 69, pp. 291-316.
Dirk M. Bucher, A L Taylor, E Marder. 2006. "Central pattern generating neurons simultaneously express fast and slow rhythmic activities in the stomatogastric ganglion.." Journal of neurophysiology, vol. 95, no. 6, pp. 3617-32.
E Marder, Dirk M. Bucher, D J Schulz, A L Taylor. 2005. "Invertebrate central pattern generation moves along.." Current biology : CB, vol. 15, no. 17, pp. R685-99.
Dirk M. Bucher, A A Prinz, E Marder. 2005. "Animal-to-animal variability in motor pattern production in adults and during growth.." The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 25, no. 7, pp. 1611-9.
S R Pulver, Dirk M. Bucher, D J Simon, E Marder. 2005. "Constant amplitude of postsynaptic responses for single presynaptic action potentials but not bursting input during growth of an identified neuromuscular junction in the lobster, Homarus americanus.." Journal of neurobiology, vol. 62, no. 1, pp. 47-61.
A A Prinz, Dirk M. Bucher, E Marder. 2004. "Similar network activity from disparate circuit parameters.." Nature neuroscience, vol. 7, no. 12, pp. 1345-52.
A Büschges, Ludwar BCh, Dirk M. Bucher, J Schmidt, R A DiCaprio. 2004. "Synaptic drive contributing to rhythmic activation of motoneurons in the deafferented stick insect walking system.." The European journal of neuroscience, vol. 19, no. 7, pp. 1856-62.
Dirk M. Bucher, V Thirumalai, E Marder. 2003. "Axonal dopamine receptors activate peripheral spike initiation in a stomatogastric motor neuron.." The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 23, no. 17, pp. 6866-75.
Dirk M. Bucher, T Akay, R A DiCaprio, A Buschges. 2003. "Interjoint coordination in the stick insect leg-control system: the role of positional signaling.." Journal of neurophysiology, vol. 89, no. 3, pp. 1245-55.
E Marder, Dirk M. Bucher. 2001. "Central pattern generators and the control of rhythmic movements.." Current biology : CB, vol. 11, no. 23, pp. R986-96.
Dirk M. Bucher, H Pflüger. 2000. "Directional sensitivity of an identified wind-sensitive interneuron during the postembryonic development of the locust.." Journal of insect physiology, vol. 46, no. 12, pp. 1545-1556.
Dirk M. Bucher, M Scholz, M Stetter, K Obermayer, H J Pflüger. 2000. "Correction methods for three-dimensional reconstructions from confocal images: I. Tissue shrinking and axial scaling.." Journal of neuroscience methods, vol. 100, no. 1-2, pp. 135-43.
Chapter
Dirk M. Bucher. "Contribution of axons to short-term dynamics of neuronal communication. In: Axons and Brain Architecture." In Rockland, KS, eds., Elsevier, 2015.
Dirk M. Bucher, Gal Haspel, Jorge P. Golowasch, Farzan Nadim. "Central Pattern Generators." pp. 1-12. eLS, John Wiley & Sons, 2015.
Conference Proceeding
"The synaptic effects of ectopic spike initiation and the history dependence of axonal conduction"
Frontiers in Neuroscience, July (3rd Quarter/Summer), 2015.
Frontiers in Neuroscience, July (3rd Quarter/Summer), 2015.
Technical Report
"Single-Neuron Gene Expression Analysis Using the Maxwell® 16 LEV System in the Neural Systems and Behavior Course"
Promega Corporation Web site, January (1st Quarter/Winter), 2014.
Promega Corporation Web site, January (1st Quarter/Winter), 2014.
Other
"Homeostatic plasticity in the nervous system."
Neural plasticity, January (1st Quarter/Winter), 2012.
Neural plasticity, January (1st Quarter/Winter), 2012.