Murray Herd obtained a BSc (Hons) degree in Biomedical Sciences (Pharmacology) from the University of Aberdeen in 2000. He then moved to the University of Dundee to conduct postgraduate studies in the laboratory of Dr Delia Belelli, where he investigated the influence of certain naturally occurring steroids on inhibitory neurotransmission in the amygdala and hippocampus. On completion of his PhD in 2004, Murray remained in Dundee to work as a post-doctoral fellow in the labs of Dr Delia Belelli and Prof. Jeremy Lambert. During this time, Murray investigated the physiological and pharmacological properties of molecularly distinct subclasses of GABAA receptors in discrete neural networks including the hippocampus, thalamus and nucleus accumbens. In 2010, Murray was awarded a Fellowship from Epilepsy Research UK to study the activity-dependent properties of inhibition in the thalamic network, with a particular emphasis on the role of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors during network activity relevant to absence epilepsy.

Herd, M.B., Lambert, J.J., Belelli, D. (2014) The general anaesthetic etomidate inhibits the excitability of mouse thalamocortical realy neurones by modulating multiple modes of GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition. Eur J. Neurosci. (in press) Maguire, E.P., Macpherson, T., Swinny, J., Dixon, C.I., Herd, M.B., Belelli, D., Stephens, D.N., King, S.L., Lambert JJ (2014). Tonic inhibition of accumbal spiny neurons by extrasynaptic α4bδ GABAA receptors modulates the actions of psychostimulants. J. Neurosci., 34(3) 823-838. Herd, M.B., Brown, A.R., Lambert JJ, Belelli, D. (2013). Extrasynaptic GABAA receptors couple presynaptic activity to postsynaptic inhibition in the somatosensory thalamus. J. Neurosci., 33(37): 14850 – 68. Wlodarczyk A., Sylantyev S., Herd, M.B., Kersant F., Lambert JJ Rusakov D, Linthorst, A., Semyanov A., Belelli D, Pavlov I, and Walker M. (2013). GABA-independent GABAA receptor openings maintain tonic currents. J Neurosci. 33(9): 3905-3914. Herd, M.B., Foister, N., Chandra, D., Peden, D.R., Homanics, G.E., Brown, V.J., Balfour, D.J.K., Lambert JJ, Belelli, D. (2009). Inhibition of thalamic excitability by THIP: a selective role for d-GABAA receptors. Eur. J. Neurosci., 29: 1177 – 1187. Wafford, K.A., van Niel, M.B., Ma, Q.P., Horridge, E., Herd, M.B., Peden, D.R., Belelli, D., Lambert JJ (2009). Novel compounds selectively enhance δ subunit containing GABAA receptors and increase tonic currents in thalamus. Neuropharmacology, 56: 182 – 189. Herd, M.B., Haythornthwaite, A.R., Rosahl, T.W., Wafford, K.A., Homanics, G.E., Lambert JJ Belelli, D. (2008). The expression of GABAA b subunit isoforms in synaptic and extrasynaptic receptor populations of mouse dentate gyrus granule cells. J. Physiol., 586.4, 989-1004. Peden, D.R.*, Petitjean, C.M.*, Herd, M.B.*, Durakoglugil, M., Rosahl, T.W., Wafford, K., Homanics, G.E., Belelli, D., Fritschy, J.M., Lambert JJ (2008). Developmental maturation of synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAA receptors in mouse thalamic ventrobasal neurons. J. Physiol. 586.4, 965-987.*equal contribution Mitchell, E.A., Herd, M.B., Gunn, B.G., Lambert JJ, Belelli, D. (2008). Neurosteroid modulation of GABAA receptors: Molecular determinants and significance in health and disease. Neurochem. Int., 52: 588-595. Herd MB, Belelli, D., Lambert JJ. (2007) Neurosteroid modulation of synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAA receptors. Pharmacol Ther. 116(1):20-34. Belelli, D, Herd MB, Mitchell EA, Peden DR, Vardy AW, Gentet L, Lambert JJ (2006) Neuroactive steroids and inhibitory neurotransmission: mechanisms of action and physiological relevance. Neuroscience 138: 821-829. Borghese CM, Storustovu S, Ebert B, Herd MB, Belelli, D, Lambert JJ, Marshall G, Wafford KA, Harris RA (2006) The delta subunit of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors does not confer sensitivity to low concentrations of ethanol. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 316: 1360-1368. Lambert JJ, Haythornthwaite A, Peden, DR, Herd, MB, Wafford, KA, Rosahl, TW, Belelli, D. (2005) The GABAA receptor: an important target for the general anaesthetic etomidate. International Congress Series, 1283, 67-72. Belelli, D., Herd MB (2003) The contraceptive agent Provera enhances GABA(A) receptor-mediated inhibitory neurotransmission in the rat hippocampus: evidence for endogenous neurosteroids? J Neurosci 23: 10013-10020. Martin DJ, McClelland D, Herd MB, Sutton KG, Hall MD, Lee K, Pinnock RD, Scott, R H (2002). Gabapentin-mediated inhibition of voltage-activated Ca2+ channel currents in cultured sensory neurones is dependent on culture conditions and channel subunit expression. Neuropharm. 42, 353-366