Grant: Operating Grant

Molecular neurobiology is a rapidly expanding field that promises to make a major impact on our understanding of both the central nervous system and neurological disorders. A major drawback to the treatment of central nervous system injuries and disorders is our lack of understanding of nerve regeneration. It is important that we gain a better understanding of the molecules involved in nerve regeneration if we are to make inroads in the treatment of diseases or injuries characterized by nerve degeneration. We are using the retina as our model system to carry out molecular neurobiological investigations. We have identified a protein (called AP2delta) which has the ability to: (i) promote the formation of the structures required for nerve regeneration and (ii) induce the production of molecules associated with nerve regeneration. We have three major objectives. First, we will pursue the biochemical analysis of this protein in order to understand its mechanism of action. Second, we will establish a mouse model in order to carry out a detailed analysis of how expression of AP2delta affects retina function. Third, we will determine whether AP2delta can alter the course of optic nerve injuries (such as those caused by glaucoma) in an animal model. Glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease that affects 60 million people worldwide, is a leading cause of blindness. Glaucoma is caused by raised pressure inside the eye which results in damage to the nerve cells of the eye. Our long-term goal is to replace the damaged nerve cells with AP2delta-expressing cells in order to reverse the progression of this disease.