Grant: Operating Grant

One of the greatest challenges of medical research is to understand how the brain functions. Many diseases are caused by malfunctions of the nervous system, for example neurodegeneration can cause diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy and stroke. In addition, brain tumors that start to metastasize (move) can lead to a quick death if left untreated. If we are to develop cures for such diseases it is crucial that we understand how the nervous system functions at the molecular level. Dr. Chin-Sang's research is devoted to understanding cell movements and in particular cells of the nervous system. Dr. Chin-Sang's lab has obtained some exciting data on certain receptors found in the nervous system. These receptors guide cells called neurons to their proper location to make proper connections. One can imagine just like a computer that is not wired correctly, brain cells that are not connected properly will cause the brain to function abnormally. Dr. Chin-Sang uses a tiny worm called C. elegans as a model organism to study the nervous system. Why worms? Many of the genes that control this tiny worm's nervous system are also found in humans and function in an identical manner. Therefore, the knowledge gained from Dr. Chin-Sang's research will certainly help us understand the molecular mechanisms during abnormal nervous system function in humans. Neurological diseases are devastating for the patient and very expensive to care for. Dr. Chin-Sang's research in neuroscience and cell biology will provide the necessary information to help in the design of drugs and identify drug targets for therapeutic intervention of neurological diseases and cancer. The Chin-Sang lab will provide a valuable resource for students who want to pursue graduate work in molecular genetics. Currently, Dr. Chin-Sang's research on C. elegans presents one of the few genetic models for understanding how these receptor genes function in a living animal.