| Title |
| Transcriptional and Epigenetic regulation of neuronal development and plasticity in C. elegans and rodent models |
| Description |
| During the complex and intricately-timed sequence of nervous system development and maturation, significant and persistent disruptions to the dynamic gene regulatory process through genetic and environmental risks can result in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuroscience research has contributed much to our understanding of early neural development in the embryonic and perinatal periods. The period from early post-natal life to young adulthood is equally critical for proper development of the mature brain, as extensive structural and behavioral plasticity are observed during these periods. However, much less is known about the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying neuronal maturation during post-natal development. The Sun Laboratory will utilize both C. elegans and rodent models, in combination advanced genomics, genetics, microscopy, and behavioral approaches, to understand gene-environment interplay in the regulation of post-embryonic post-mitotic nervous system maturation. This work will contribute to a novel understanding of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disease vulnerability and will inform new therapeutic targets. |
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