solving neuroscience mysteries with worms
How does alcohol affect our nervous system?
Can alcohol have transgenerational effects on behavior?
The mechanisms by which alcohol causes intoxication and addiction remain unclear at the molecular level. By using C. elegans as a minimal system, we can rapidly identify which uncharacterized and novel molecules are responsible for behavioral responses to alcohol.
You can read about our previous work on this here and here.
Alcohol dependence and abuse are known to be heritable and may cause lasting changes in behavior. C. elegans and advanced tracing software allow us to study generations of offspring in order to piece together the story of the transgenerational effects of substance use.
Can we stop neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease?
We have engineered C. elegans to mimic the key features of neurodegeneration observed in human Alzheimer’s disease (AD). With this new model, we can easily test whether novel drugs can prevent or reverse the degeneration of neurons by simply counting them through their transparent body. While mouse studies of AD typically take two years, the compact lifespan of C. elegans affords studies as short as 1 week. We are using our powerful new model of AD to understand why neurons die in people with AD, and to search for drugs that protect against this neuron death with unprecedented speed.
Which genes cause problems in Down syndrome?
People with Down syndrome inherit an extra copy of the 21st chromosome which carries about 225 genes. It remains unknown which of these genes contribute to the difficulties in learning, memory and fine motor control in Down syndrome. We are using powerful genetic techniques specific to the research model C. elegans to systematically study each one of these genes. Through our research we aim to identify the few key genes that contribute to dysfunction of the nervous system.
You can read about our previous work on this here.
How does our nervous system switch between different patterns of movement?
We take for granted that we can switch seamlessly between walking and running gaits, and rapidly shift between different movements. For people with Parkinson’s disease, however, shifting between gaits and simply getting out of a chair become arduous tasks. We have recently found that the fundamental genetic mechanisms for switching between gaits can be studied in C. elegans.
You can read about our previous work on this here.
How do our senses develop?
