Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

The development of the brain is an enormously complex task that requires the formation and refinement of trillions of connections between billions of brain cells (neurons). These brain cells have long shafts or elongated fibers known as axons, which act as wires, sending electrical signals to various parts of the body. To ensure the rapid transmission of brain cell signals, axons are wrapped in a fatty insulating layer made up of a substance called myelin. Defects in the formation or function of myelin are thought to be central to many brain disorders including intellectual disability, schizophrenia, autism, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. Brain disorders are among the leading causes of disability in Canada and impose a significant burden on patients, caregivers, and the healthcare system. If we are to develop effective therapeutic and behavioral interventions for brain disorders, then studying the fundamental mechanisms of how myelin is formed, and functions, is crucial. The overall goal of my research project is to elucidate how myelin is formed and functions in the brain at the cellular and molecular level. I will then use this information to probe how myelin defects contribute to intellectual disability. In order to develop a comprehensive understanding of myelin formation and to modify myelin function at the molecular level, we use rodent models. Mice and rats share similar genes with humans, have related brain structures (including axons), and can learn and remember simple tasks. My work will identify and manipulate specific gene targets that are essential for proper myelin development and brain function. This will result in a better understanding of how disruptions in myelin function result in intellectual disability and set the stage for the development of new therapeutics to restore brain function and cognition in patients with brain disorders.