Faculty
are listed by Department within their Research Areas,
with descriptions of their active projects.
ANATOMY AND NEUROBIOLOGY
JULIE SANDELL
Associate Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology;
PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
My lab has two major areas of interest: 1) we are part of a group
that is building a retinal prosthesis to treat retinal degeneration
and 2) we are interested in discovering the biological basis for
cognitive impairment during normal aging. For the first project,
we use anatomical techniques to investigate the remodeling that
occurs in the retina in retinitis pigmentosa. We also study retinas
from animals that have retinal degeneration as a result of a mutation,
or as a result of a photoreceptor toxin. For the second project,
we study the changes in neurons and neuroglial cells in the brain
in monkeys as they age, and try to correlate the structural changes
with the monkey's cognitive performance, which is determined in
another laboratory. We are particularly interested in teasing apart
the changes that are related to age alone from those that are related
to cognitive status. Ultimately we would like to know what allows
some individuals to age "successfully," while others are
severely impaired. I also have long standing interests in visual
system plasticity, and the role of GABA in neuronal development.
For more information regarding Julie Sandell's
research and publications, please click on the following link:
http://www.bu.edu/dbin/anatneuro/our_people/faculty/sandell.php
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DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
PAUL B. COOK
Assistant Professor of Biology; PhD, University of California, Berkeley
Processing of visual signals by the vertebrate retina involves interactions
between excitatory and inhibitory neurons, the strength of which
varies according to several parameters including the spatial properties
of the cells and the temporal characteristics of their signals.
In addition many of these interactions are modulated during changes
in adaptational state such as the change in gap junction coupling
between horizontal cells, or the responsiveness of retinal neurons
to the excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate.
In order to understand these interactions my
laboratory employs several techniques including whole cell patch-clamp
from retinal neurons in the flat mount/isolated retina and in the
retinal slice preparations. Synaptic inputs can be elicited with
stimuli such as patterned and random light stimuli, focal electrical
stimulation of the retinal circuitry, and focal application of analogues,
agonists and antagonists.
Computational models of neural function will
complement the physiological studies. Particularly significant questions
include the effects of anatomical constraints of the cells comprising
specialized retinal circuits, effects of electrical coupling between
neurons, the functional role of pre- and postsynaptic inhibition
on shaping the temporal and spatial responses of cells, and the
effects of modulation of synaptic inputs on retinal processing.
For more information regarding Paul B. Cook's
research and publications, please click on the following link:
http://www.bu.edu/biology/Faculty_Staff/cook.html
VINCENT E. DIONNE
Professor of Biology; PhD, University of Arizona
Chemosensory physiology: research on the cellular mechanisms underlying
the detection and discrimination of odors by olfactory receptor
neurons in vertebrates. Electrophysiological, anatomical, histochemical,
and molecular biological techniques are used in the laboratory.
For more information regarding Vincent E. Dionne's
research and publications, please click on the following link:
http://www.bu.edu/biology/Faculty_Staff/vdionne.html
WILLIAM D. ELDRED
Professor of Biology; Professor in the Molecular Biology,
Cell Biology and Biochemistry Program; Professor in the
Program in Neuroscience; Department of Cognitive and Neural Systems
Research Fellow; PhD, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
We are doing multidisciplinary studies of the role of cGMP in synaptic
mechanisms in retinal neurons. These studies employ immunocytochemistry,
retrograde tracers, intracellular injections, pharmacology, electrophysiology,
biochemistry and image analysis at the light and electron microscopic
levels. Particular emphasis is placed on regional differences in
the retina and the biochemical and pharmacological mechanisms for
modulating cGMP in identified neurons.
For more information regarding William D. Eldred's
research and publications, please click on the following link:
http://www.bu.edu/biology/Faculty_Staff/eldred.html
JEN-WEI LIN
Professor of Biology; PhD, SUNY—Buffalo
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurotransmitter secretion
Neurotransmitter secretion is a complicated process that involves
ion channel gating and secretion steps. In addition, the mobilization
and recycling of synaptic vesicles are needed to maintain the function
of a synapse and to contribute to synaptic plasticity. Ultimately,
an understanding of the secretory events means that one can establish
a kinetic scheme for this multi-step process and identify molecules
responsible for each step. Therefore, a combined electrophysiological
and molecular approach is used in my laboratory to investigate these
questions.
For more information regarding Jen-Wei Lin's
research and publications, please click on the following link:
http://www.bu.edu/biology/Faculty_Staff/jenwelin.html
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PHARMACOLOGY
DAVID H. FARB
Professor and Chairman of Pharmacology; PhD, Brandeis University
Abnormal activation of amino acid receptors has been implicated
in the etiology of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression
and schizophrenia as well as of seizure disorders. Ongoing studies
in the Farb lab provide a strong foundation for constructing models
of steroid hormone interactions with excitatory and inhibitory amino
acid receptors in the brain and spinal cord. This knowledge may
lead to new strategies for the treatment of psychiatric and cognitive
disorders. Although there is widespread medical and nonmedical use
(and abuse) of steroids, there is very little information concerning
the long-term effects of steroid exposure on the central nervous
system. Rational drug design in conjunction with structural computational
chemistry will be used to understand ligand receptor and DNA transcription
factor recognition.
Dr. Farb's lab studies focuses on the mechanism
of action of neuromodulators and on the structure, function, and
cellular dynamics of amino acid receptors in the brain and spinal
cord. Amino acid receptor function can be controlled by direct modulation
of receptor function on the time scale of milliseconds to seconds
and by regulation of receptor expression by genomic mechanisms.
The role of neuroactive steroids in the control of GABA, glycine,
and glutamate (NMDA and non-NMDA) receptors is being investigated
using a multidisciplinary approach that includes the techniques
of molecular biology, patch-clamp neurophysiology, cell biology,
and molecular neuroanatomy. We have isolated segments of DNA from
the human genome that contain the genetic blueprint for the production
of GABA receptors. By determining the sequences for the regions
of the gene that control its expression, we hope to be able to identify
receptor-specific transcription factors and to design new classes
of therapeutic agents that may act by regulating the expression
of neurotransmitter receptors in the brain.
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