Development, Plasticity and Repair

The faculty in this area focus on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that pattern the nervous system during development. Many complex processes are involved in the differentiation of specific neuronal and glial cell types and the formation of axon pathways and neural connections. In Neuroscience Training Program, students use cutting edge genetic techniques in model systems such as Drosophila, zebrafish, and mice to understand how individual molecules function in a variety of processes important for neural development. One main focus of investigation is understanding the mechanisms of neuronal and glial differentiation. Faculty are exploring questions such as how cell lineage is determined, how cells choose neuronal or glial fates, and what determines the type of neurotransmitter synthesized. Another strong concentration is the analysis of axon pathfinding mechanisms with live imaging of growing axons either in vivo or in cell cultures. Other faculty are investigating mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and in the neural control of respiration. The Program also has a major strength in high-profile stem cell research. These investigators are pioneering methods of growing and controlling the differentiation of embryonic and neural stem cells; work that is crucial both for understanding normal neuronal differentiation mechanisms, and to replace neurons and restore circuits after brain injury or disease.

Microtubules and microfilaments are two major cytoskeletal networks which are essential for many cellular functions, such as architectural support, cell division, signal transduction, and intracellular transportation. shown here is a dividing astrocyte in a primary cultureof cells isolated from the spinal cord of a 18-day old normal rat, and differetiated in vitro for 14 days. (Figure Legend, Image courtesy of Ian Duncan & Jonathan Song)

Faculty:

Anthony P. Auger Neuroendocrinology of Sex Differences in Brain and Behavior	Mary Behan Effects of Aging and Sex Hormones on the Neural Control of Breathing
Seth S. Blair Neuronal Development and Pattern Formation in Drosophila	Grace Boekhoff-Falk Cell Biology and Genetics of Limb and Nervous System Development
Erik Dent Role of the Cytoskeleton in Axon Outgrowth and Guidance	Ian D. Duncan CNS Myelination and Glial Cell Transplantation
Miles Epstein Regulation of Neuronal Differentiation and Neurotransmitter Phenotype	Barry Ganetzky Genetic and Molecular Analysis of Neuronal Signaling, Development, and Maintenance
Timothy M. Gomez Regulation of Axon Guidance by Second Messengers	Mary C. Halloran Mechanisms of Axon Guidance in Zebrafish
Stephen M. Johnson Respiratory Rhythm Generation and Plasticity, Neuroprotection	Katherine Kalil Growth and Guidance of Axons in the Mammalian Central Nervous System
Ronald E. Kalil Neural Stem Cells, Adult Neurogenesis and the Injured Brain	Peter Lipton Neurochemistry of Synaptic Transmission in Brain Slices
Vjekoslav Miletic Spinal Plasticity in the Development of Chronic Pain	Gordon S. Mitchell Plasticity in Respiratory Motor Control; Applications to Spinal Cord Injury, Sleep Apnea, and ALS
Thomas Sutula Hippocampal Plasticity in Development, Memory and Epilepsy	Clive N. Svendsen Biology of Neural Stem Cells: Fate Choices In Vitro and Repair Following Transplantation
Ei Terasawa Oscillatory Behavior of Neuroendocrine Neurons in the Hypothalamus	Raghu Vemuganti Molecular Mechanisms of Inflammation, Neuronal Death, and Neurogenesis After Stroke
Su-Chun Zhang Embryonic Stem Cells and Neural Differentiation

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More research strengths:

Behavior, Cognition and Emotion

Development, Plasticity and Repair

Membrane Excitability and Synaptic Transmission

Molecular Neuroscience

Neuronal Circuits

Neurobiology of Disease

Perception and Movement