| Affiliations: | |
| 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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4
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| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Exploring neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, becoming a full member of Li lab research group
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Team Needs:
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Preferred availability Tuesday and Thursday afternoons between 2-5 or 3-6 pm Skills/abilities: Time-management, organization, motivation, ability to work in a team, consistent commitment, some prerequisite neuroscience knowledge |
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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. As an undergraduate researcher on my team, you will learn cryosectioning of brain tissues, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence microscopy, and image analysis, as well as valuable background information on CNS cell types, white matter brain regions, and the use of transgenic mice in neuroscience research |