Entry Date:
April 7, 2008

Translational Research on Neurodegeneration and Psychiatric Disease\n

Principal Investigator Martha Constantine-Paton


Translational Research on Neurodegeneration and Psychiatric Disease
We are also currently involved in two collaborative projects in which we are applying our knowledge of developmental synaptic plasticity. (1) One study involves electrophysiological and molecular experiments designed to identify the cellular basis of motoneuron death in a mouse model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These studies are undertaken in collaboration with Dr. Robert Brown Jr. at MGH and Harvard Medical a leading ALS Investigator. A second recently begun project involves genes know to be linked to schizophrenia and also known to be involved in NMDA receptor signaling. Currently these experiments use small molecules known to inhibit neuregulin signaling to understand their effect on NMDA receptor activity-dependent regulation. These studies are undertaken in collaboration with Dr. Edward Skolnick's Psychiatric Disease Research Group based in the Broad Institute.