| Affiliations: | |
| Project Leader: | Sara Zarate sara_zarate@tamu.edu Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics |
| Faculty Mentor: | Dr. Rahul Srinivasan |
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Meeting Times:
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Weekly |
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Team Size:
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5
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| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Participants will have the opportunity to learn standard behavior research methods as well as standard staining and microscopy methods. Significant contribution to the project will result in co-authorship of posters and papers |
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Team Needs:
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All undergraduates are required to enroll in 3 research credit hours of their respective department. We are particularly interested in undergraduates interested in biomedical research and/or neuroscience. BIMS, PSYC, and Neuroscience minors are preferred |
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Description:
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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a devasting neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Therefore, there is an urgent and unmet need for developing disease modifying strategies. We have shown that low dose cytisine exerts neuroprotection in female mice by chaperoning nicotinic acetylcholine receptors from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the plasma membrane. This action reduces ER stress that could lead to apoptosis. In this study we will focus on the role of cytisine and the sex hormone, estrogen, in mediating neuroprotection using a mouse model of PD. Students will gain experience in general laboratory practices, and behavior research data collection and analysis. |