Chair:
Dale R. Abrahamson, PhD
Graduate Studies Director:
Douglas E. Wright, PhD
Director of
Medical Education:
George C. Enders, PhD
Email inquiries:
hallensw@kumc.edu
Ph.D. |
1997 Osaka University, Japan |
|
Postdoctoral |
IBDM, INSERM U.382, France |
C.E. Henderson
lab |
email: hnishimune@kumc.edu
The nervous system functions by cell-cell communication based on a structure called a synapse. We are interested in the molecular mechanisms of synapse formation and maintenance.
Presynaptic voltage gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are absolutely required for neurotransmission, but its role in presynaptic differentiation has not been fully understood. Our previous research discovered the first extracellular ligand for the VGCCs, and demonstrated the functional role for organizing Active Zones (AZs) at the motor neuron terminal (Nature 2004). These results provided a new conceptual framework for the mechanism of AZ-formation/maintenance by extracellular ligands.
We hypothesize that VGCCs at the nerve terminals are important scaffolding proteins to organize AZs. We approach this hypothesis by combining studies of genetically modified knockout and transgenic mice, neuronal cell cultures, and biochemical protein-protein interaction; as level of analysis spanning from whole animal to molecules. We are focusing on the search for novel extracellular ligand for the VGCCs at the brain synapse, and the cytosolic interaction of VGCC at the nerve terminal. We hope these studies will shed light on the mechanism of neurological diseases and/or aging, including Channelopathies or Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome.
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Hiroshi
Nishimune, PhD Assistant Professor |
Sara Billings Graduate Student |
Jie Chen, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow |
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The University of Kansas Medical Center