| Affiliations: | |
| Project Leader: | Sara Zarate zarate@medicine.tamhsc.edu Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics |
| Faculty Mentor: | Dr. Rahul Srinivasan, Ph.D. |
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Meeting Times:
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TBD |
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Team Size:
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5 (Team Full) |
| 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. Studies have shown that smoking can reduce the risk for PD by 50%. We have shown that low doses of nicotine convey neuroprotection by chaperoning nicotinic acetylcholine receptors from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the plasma membrane. This action reduces ER stress that could lead to cell death. In this study we will focus on the effect of a partial nicotinic agonist, cytisine, on the in vivo behavioral outcomes during PD progression in mice. Students will gain experience in general laboratory practices, and behavior research data collection and analysis.
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