| Affiliations: | Neuroscience Research Leadership |
| Project Leader: | Grace Samtani gsamtani@tamu.edu Biology |
| Faculty Mentor: | Jianrong Li, Ph.D. |
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Meeting Times:
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TBD |
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Team Size:
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6
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| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Becoming full member of Li lab research group
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Team Needs:
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CONTACT: Senior team members Adya Cherukuri at adyacherukuri@tamu.edu or Yasmine Almughrabi at yasminealmughrabi@tamu.edu to apply for our team. CV & transcripts required in first email |
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Description:
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Myelin dystrophy in the brain is a crucial contributor to normal aging and neurodegeneration, yet the study of its contribution to these conditions is often neglected. The myelin sheath, which constitutes white matter in the brain, wraps around neuronal axons and facilitates fast, saltatory conduction of electrical impulses. The loss of myelin integrity or myelin-producing cells (oligodendrocytes) in the central nervous system (CNS) may lead to neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer’s disease. It has recently been found that there is a significant increase in oligodendrocyte and myelin related genes early in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis. Importantly, a recent study has linked expression of the second most common genetic risk factor (BIN1) for late onset Alzheimer’s disease to white matter tracts in the brain. However, the exact function of BIN1 in oligodendrocytes is still unknown. My project involves characterizing the role of BIN1 in CNS oligodendrocytes on a physiological level, with the goal of eventually utilizing this characterization to preserve myelin integrity in aging and other neurodegenerative conditions. Your involvement as an undergraduate researcher on this team will involve learning immunohistochemistry, taking fluorescent images, and performing image analysis |