KURRASCH, DEBORAH M. - University of Calgary - Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

个人简介

B.Sc. (Bachelor of Science) Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

研究领域

The Kurrasch Lab studies how hypothalamic neurons become organized into distinct neuronal clusters (“nuclei”). The human brain is exquisitely organized into either distinct layers or defined nuclei. Although layer formation has been well studied, comparatively little is known about the cellular and molecular mechanisms that guide the movement of neurons into nuclei. We use our unique collection of molecular markers and genetic tools to study how neurons that reside in one nucleus of the hypothalamus – the ventromedial nucleus (VMH) – are born and move to their final position. Presumably, similar mechanisms are used throughout the brain to organize neurons into clusters and thus, we predict that our findings in the VMH will be applicable to other brain regions. The long-term goal of the Kurrasch Lab is to explore whether environmental insults interfere with the developmental steps guiding hypothalamic nuclei formation, as an entry-point towards understanding the etiology of neuroendocrine disorders that are becoming increasingly common within the general population. To address these questions, we conduct loss-of-function (i.e., morpholino knockdown and Cre technology) and gain-of-function experiments (i.e., in utero electroporation) using both mice and zebrafish as model systems.

近期论文

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Lu F, Kar D, Swindell E, Jamrich, M, Kurrasch DM. Retinal and anterior homeobox gene is a marker for tuberal hypothalamic progenitors. Submitted Dev Dyn, 2011 Dixit R, Lu F, Cantrup R, Gruenig N, Kurrasch DM*, Schuurmans, C*. Efficient gene delivery into multiple CNS territories using in utero electroporation. J of Visualized Expts, 52:e2957, 2011. Kurrasch DM, Nevin LN, Wong JS, Baier H, Ingraham HA. Neuroendocrine transcriptional programs adapt dynamically to the supply and demand for neuropeptides as revealed in NSF mutant zebrafish. Neural Dev, 4:22, 2009. Kurrasch DM*, Cheung CC*, Lee FV, Tran PV, Hata K, Ingraham HA. The Neonatal Ventromedial Hypothalamus Transcriptome Reveals Novel Markers with Spatially Distinct Patterning. J Neurosci, 27:13624-34, 2007.