A5029993985- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
- Silk-based biomaterials and applications
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Metabolism and Genetic Disorders
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Retinal Development and Disorders
- Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Distributed and Parallel Computing Systems
- Particle Detector Development and Performance
- Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Nerve injury and regeneration
- Crystallization and Solubility Studies
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Planarian Biology and Electrostimulation
- Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
Pennsylvania State University
1994-2024
Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders
2015-2019
University of Pittsburgh
2015-2019
While many regulators of axon regeneration have been identified, very little is known about mechanisms that allow dendrites to regenerate after injury. Using a Drosophila model dendrite regeneration, we performed candidate screen receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and found requirement for RTK-like orphan (Ror). We confirmed Ror was required in two different neuron types using RNA interference (RNAi) mutants. not or normal development, suggesting specific role regeneration. can act as Wnt...
Kinetochores connect centromeric chromatin to spindle microtubules during mitosis. Neurons are postmitotic, so it was surprising identify transcripts of structural kinetochore (KT) proteins and regulatory chromosome passenger complex (CPC) assembly checkpoint (SAC) in Drosophila neurons after dendrite injury. To test whether these function regeneration, postmitotic RNA interference (RNAi) performed dendrites or axons were removed using laser microsurgery. Reduction KT, CPC, SAC decreased...
Effective therapies are lacking for mitochondrial encephalomyopathies (MEs). MEs devastating diseases that predominantly affect the energy-demanding tissues of nervous system and muscle, causing symptoms such as seizures, cardiomyopathy, neuro- muscular degeneration. Even common anti-epileptic drugs which frequently successful in ameliorating seizures other tend to have a lower success rate ME, highlighting need novel drug targets, especially those may couple metabolic sensitivity neuronal...
Axons and dendrites are distinguished by microtubule polarity. In Drosophila, dominated minus-end-out microtubules, whereas axons contain plus-end-out microtubules. Local nucleation in generates microtubules both orientations. To understand why dendritic does not disrupt polarity, we used live imaging to analyze the fate of generated at branch points. We found that they had different rates success exiting based on orientation: correctly oriented succeeded leaving about twice as often...
Most neurons are not replaced after injury and thus possess robust intrinsic mechanisms for repair damage. Axon triggers a calcium wave, cAMP can augment axon regeneration. In comparison to regeneration, dendrite regeneration is poorly understood. To test whether might also be involved in signaling, we tracked the responses of Drosophila dendritic arborization laser severing axons dendrites. We found that subsequently accumulate cell body both injury. Two voltage-gated channels (VGCCs),...