Current projects in our lab
The focus of our lab is to understand the molecular mechanisms that control stem cell neuronal differentiation and brain development, and their deregulation in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Rett Syndrome (RTT), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), and MECP2 Duplication Syndrome (MDS). Our initial studies in a mouse model of Rett Syndrome indicated that MECP2 gene therapy delivery into the affected neurons rescues their impaired structural abnormalities, suggesting that the damage in these neurons may not be permanent and could be reversed. For over a decade, our lab has focused on the regulation and function of MeCP2 protein variants (E1 and E2 isoforms) in brain development, stem cell differentiation, and neurodevelopmental disorders (RTT, ASD, and FASD), using different cellular and mouse model systems. These included primary brain-derived self-renewing and differentiated neural stem cells, cortical neurons and astrocytes, as well as embryonic and adult murine and human brains and different cell lines. Furthermore, we developed specific antibodies against E1 and E2 and reported their control mechanisms, cis-regulatory elements, sex-specific regulation, and relevance to disease by in vitro and in vivo approaches. Research from our team has been published in peer-reviewed Journals including: Molecular Autism, Experimental Neurology, Cancers, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Scientific Reports, Frontiers in Genetics, PLoS One, Frontiers in Cell & Developmental Biology, Biomolecules, Neuropathology & Applied Neurobiology, Molecular Neurobiology. There are three complementary research projects in our lab, to address the objectives of our research program:
1. Epigenetics in childhood neurodevelopmental disorders; the underlying molecular mechanisms of disease
2. Gene regulatory networks during neural stem cell neurogenesis
3. Epigenetics in embryonic stem cell neurogenesis
1. Epigenetics in childhood neurodevelopmental disorders; the underlying molecular mechanisms of disease
2. Gene regulatory networks during neural stem cell neurogenesis
3. Epigenetics in embryonic stem cell neurogenesis