Research Interests
Neurogenesis is a highly coordinated developmental process that leads to the formation of neurons from neural stem cells. Progenitor cells derived from these stem cells undergo several rounds of cell division then differentiate to produce the correct numbers of diverse neuronal cell types found in the brain. My laboratory is studying the mechanisms by which the cell cycle machinery integrates with differentiation signals in order to tightly coordinate these developmental programs. We are studying novel function(s) for cell cycle proteins, particularly the Retinoblastoma protein, pRb, and its partners, the E2F family of transcription factors that go beyond their classical role in cell cycle control. Hence, we are investigating the molecular mechanisms by which the Rb/E2F pathway: 1) regulate the expression of key target genes that are required for neuronal differentiation and migration, 2) modulate neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain using the olfactory bulb as a model. Manipulating the basic mechanisms by which adult neural stem cells generate new neurons will be highly relevant, in the future, to regenerative medicine following stroke or injury in the human brain.     

Research:
Publications
Grants

Courses:
BIOL 201
BIOL 244
BIOL 284
BIOL 295
BIOL 330