Court Alan Hull | Scholars@Duke

Court Alan Hull
Associate Professor of Neurobiology

We study neural circuits in the rodent cerebellum involved with motor timing, coordination, and learning. Our approaches include high-speed multiphoton imaging from cerebellar neurons in vivo during behavior, extracellular and intracellular electrophysiology in vivo as well as in acute brain slices, and anatomical techniques such as cell type-specific viral labeling to identify functional circuit pathways that connect the cerebellum with other brain regions.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Professor of Neurobiology, Neurobiology, Basic Science Departments 2020
Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, University Institutes and Centers 2013

Contact Information

Box 3209, Durham, NC 27710
Bryan Research Building, 311 Research Drive Room 427C, Durham, NC 27710
hull@neuro.duke.edu (919) 613-0927
Hull lab website

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Oregon Health and Science University 2005
Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Assistant Professor of Neurobiology, Neurobiology, Basic Science Departments 2013 - 2020
- Instructor, Temporary in the Department of Neurobiology, Neurobiology, Basic Science Departments 2013
Recognition
In the News
- FEB 18, 2014
  
  Five Science Faculty Win Sloan Fellowships
Awards & Honors
- Sloan Research Fellowship-Neuroscience. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. 2014
Expertise
Subject Headings
- Muser Mentor
Research
Selected Grants
- Cerebellar circuits for reward-based learning awarded by National Institutes of Health 2022 - 2027
- Duke Preparing Research Scholars in Biomedical Sciences- Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program awarded by National Institutes of Health 2022 - 2027
- Neurobiology Training Program awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2024
- Canonical computations for motor learning by the cerebellar cortex micro-circuit awarded by National Institutes of Health 2019 - 2024
- Role of ASTN2 in cerebellar circuit function and ASD-related behaviors awarded by Rockefeller University 2020 - 2022
- Circuit mechanisms of reward prediction in the cerebellum awarded by Ruth K. Broad Biomedical Research Foundation 2021 - 2022
- Neuromodulatory Control of Cerebellar Synaptic Processing and Sensory Input awarded by National Institutes of Health 2016 - 2021
- Evaluating how inhibition shapes granule cell population codes awarded by National Institutes of Health 2021
- Re-examining the role of cerebellar climbing fibers in motor learning awarded by National Institutes of Health 2017 - 2019
- Basic predoctoral training in neuroscience awarded by National Institutes of Health 1992 - 2018
- Representation of Time in the Cerebellar Cortex awarded by Whitehall Foundation, Inc. 2014 - 2017
- Representation of time in the cerebellar cortex awarded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation 2014 - 2016
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Fore, Taylor R., Benjamin N. Taylor, Nicolas Brunel, and Court Hull. “Acetylcholine Modulates Cerebellar Granule Cell Spiking by Regulating the Balance of Synaptic Excitation and Inhibition.” J Neurosci 40, no. 14 (April 1, 2020): 2882–94. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2148-19.2020.
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  - Hull, Court. “Prediction signals in the cerebellum: beyond supervised motor learning.” Elife 9 (March 30, 2020). https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.54073.
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  - Heffley, William, and Court Hull. “Classical conditioning drives learned reward prediction signals in climbing fibers across the lateral cerebellum.” Elife 8 (September 11, 2019). https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46764.
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  - Fleming, Elizabeth, and Court Hull. “Serotonin regulates dynamics of cerebellar granule cell activity by modulating tonic inhibition.” J Neurophysiol 121, no. 1 (January 1, 2019): 105–14. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00492.2018.
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  - Fore, Taylor, Nathan Taylor, Nicolas Brunel, and Court Hull. “Acetylcholine modulates cerebellar granule cell spiking by regulating the balance of synaptic excitation and inhibition,” 2019. https://doi.org/10.1101/760223.
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  - Heffley, William, and Court Hull. “Classical conditioning drives learned reward prediction signals in climbing fibers across the lateral cerebellum,” 2019. https://doi.org/10.1101/555508.
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  - Behesti, Hourinaz, Taylor R. Fore, Peter Wu, Zachi Horn, Mary Leppert, Court Hull, and Mary E. Hatten. “ASTN2 modulates synaptic strength by trafficking and degradation of surface proteins.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115, no. 41 (October 9, 2018): E9717–26. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1809382115.
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  - Heffley, William, Eun Young Song, Ziye Xu, Benjamin N. Taylor, Mary Anne Hughes, Andrew McKinney, Mati Joshua, and Court Hull. “Coordinated cerebellar climbing fiber activity signals learned sensorimotor predictions.” Nat Neurosci 21, no. 10 (October 2018): 1431–41. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-018-0228-8.
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  - Hull, Court. “The cerebellum influences vocal timing.” Elife 7 (August 28, 2018). https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.40447.
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  - Pidoux, Ludivine, Pascale Le Blanc, Carole Levenes, and Arthur Leblois. “A subcortical circuit linking the cerebellum to the basal ganglia engaged in vocal learning.” Elife 7 (July 25, 2018). https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.32167.
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  - Hull, Court. “Cellular and Synaptic Properties of Local Inhibitory Circuits.” Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2017, no. 5 (May 1, 2017). https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.top095281.
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  - Hull, Court. “Measuring Feedforward Inhibition and Its Impact on Local Circuit Function.” Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2017, no. 5 (May 1, 2017). https://doi.org/10.1101/pdb.prot095828.
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  - Rudolph, Stephanie, Court Hull, and Wade G. Regehr. “Active Dendrites and Differential Distribution of Calcium Channels Enable Functional Compartmentalization of Golgi Cells.” J Neurosci 35, no. 47 (November 25, 2015): 15492–504. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3132-15.2015.
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  - Hull, Court A., YunXiang Chu, Monica Thanawala, and Wade G. Regehr. “Hyperpolarization induces a long-term increase in the spontaneous firing rate of cerebellar Golgi cells.” J Neurosci 33, no. 14 (April 3, 2013): 5895–5902. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4052-12.2013.
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  - Tsai, Peter T., Court Hull, YunXiang Chu, Emily Greene-Colozzi, Abbey R. Sadowski, Jarrett M. Leech, Jason Steinberg, Jacqueline N. Crawley, Wade G. Regehr, and Mustafa Sahin. “Autistic-like behaviour and cerebellar dysfunction in Purkinje cell Tsc1 mutant mice.” Nature 488, no. 7413 (August 30, 2012): 647–51. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11310.
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  - Hull, Court, and Wade G. Regehr. “Identification of an inhibitory circuit that regulates cerebellar Golgi cell activity.” Neuron 73, no. 1 (January 12, 2012): 149–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2011.10.030.
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  - Bagnall, Martha W., Court Hull, Eric A. Bushong, Mark H. Ellisman, and Massimo Scanziani. “Multiple clusters of release sites formed by individual thalamic afferents onto cortical interneurons ensure reliable transmission.” Neuron 71, no. 1 (July 14, 2011): 180–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2011.05.032.
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  - Hull, Court, Hillel Adesnik, and Massimo Scanziani. “Neocortical disynaptic inhibition requires somatodendritic integration in interneurons.” J Neurosci 29, no. 28 (July 15, 2009): 8991–95. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5717-08.2009.
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  - Hull, Court, Jeffry S. Isaacson, and Massimo Scanziani. “Postsynaptic mechanisms govern the differential excitation of cortical neurons by thalamic inputs.” J Neurosci 29, no. 28 (July 15, 2009): 9127–36. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5971-08.2009.
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  - Hull, Court, and Massimo Scanziani. “It's about time for thalamocortical circuits.” Nat Neurosci 10, no. 4 (April 2007): 400–402. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn0407-400.
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  - Hull, Court, Keith Studholme, Stephen Yazulla, and Henrique von Gersdorff. “Diurnal changes in exocytosis and the number of synaptic ribbons at active zones of an ON-type bipolar cell terminal.” J Neurophysiol 96, no. 4 (October 2006): 2025–33. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00364.2006.
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  - Hull, Court, Geng-Lin Li, and Henrique von Gersdorff. “GABA transporters regulate a standing GABAC receptor-mediated current at a retinal presynaptic terminal.” J Neurosci 26, no. 26 (June 28, 2006): 6979–84. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1386-06.2006.
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  - Vigh, Jozsef, Geng-Lin Li, Court Hull, and Henrique von Gersdorff. “Long-term plasticity mediated by mGluR1 at a retinal reciprocal synapse.” Neuron 46, no. 3 (May 5, 2005): 469–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2005.03.027.
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  - Hull, Court, and Henrique von Gersdorff. “Fast endocytosis is inhibited by GABA-mediated chloride influx at a presynaptic terminal.” Neuron 44, no. 3 (October 28, 2004): 469–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2004.10.010.
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  - Palmer, Mary J., Court Hull, Jozsef Vigh, and Henrique von Gersdorff. “Synaptic cleft acidification and modulation of short-term depression by exocytosed protons in retinal bipolar cells.” J Neurosci 23, no. 36 (December 10, 2003): 11332–41. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.23-36-11332.2003.
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  - Palmer, Mary J., Holger Taschenberger, Court Hull, Liisa Tremere, and Henrique von Gersdorff. “Synaptic activation of presynaptic glutamate transporter currents in nerve terminals.” J Neurosci 23, no. 12 (June 15, 2003): 4831–41. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.23-12-04831.2003.
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  - Guatimosim, Cristina, Court Hull, Henrique Von Gersdorff, and Marco A. M. Prado. “Okadaic acid disrupts synaptic vesicle trafficking in a ribbon-type synapse.” J Neurochem 82, no. 5 (September 2002): 1047–57. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1471-4159.2002.01029.x.
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- Book Sections
  - Gersdorff, Henrique von, and Court Hull. “Synaptic Transmission.” In Neuroscience in Medicine, 73–88. Humana Press, n.d. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-371-2:73.
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- Preprints
  - Fleming, Elizabeth A., Greg D. Field, Michael R. Tadross, and Court Hull. “Local synaptic inhibition mediates cerebellar granule cell pattern separation necessary for learned sensorimotor associations.” Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, May 21, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.05.20.492839.
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Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses
Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
Outreach & Engaged Scholarship
- Bass Connections Faculty Team Leader. Summer Neuroscience Program Mentor. 2017 2017

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Previous Appointments & Affiliations

In the News

Awards & Honors

Subject Headings

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Book Sections

Preprints

Recent Courses

Outreach & Engaged Scholarship