Circuit Formation by Spatio-Temporal Control of Messenger RNA Translation

 

The connections inside the brain need to be wired in a precise manner during development to ensure its proper function. This project will provide insight into circuit formation to help us understand how axon regeneration can improve clinical outcomes. Brain wiring, damage, and developmental defects Researchers have suggested that improper wiring of the nervous system is the basis for some neurodevelopmental defects. What are the mechanisms that guarantee the proper wiring between the billions of neurons during brain development? Molecules in the extracellular environment, called guidance cues, guide axons to their targets. These cues can be attractive, pulling axons in the right direction, or repulsive, which means they prevent axons from navigating to incorrect targets. Other conditions in which axons need to navigate in adults include regeneration after mechanical or degenerative stimuli, such as a spinal cord injury. Proper regeneration in adults is still a significant clinical problem. Project objectives This research project aims to: -generate a comprehensive picture of the molecular mechanisms underlying the nervous system's wiring -identify novel strategies to promote the proper guidance and wiring of the nervous system -further develop the graduate training environment and international research collaboration among the partners This work will shed new light on the mechanisms that govern the wiring of the nervous system and their role in axon regeneration. It could help to identify novel strategies to promote proper guidance and wiring in the neural circuits of abnormally developing axons, or damaged and regenerating axons. Project leadership The project lead is Fre¿de¿ric Charron at l'Institut de recherches cliniques de Montre¿al, Universite¿ de Montre¿al, Canada. His collaborators are Avraham Yaron, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, and Felipe A. Court, Universidad de Chile. Project funding This project is funded through the first research competition of the Joint Canada-Israel Health Research Initiative. The Initiative is a collaboration between the Azrieli Foundation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Israel Science Foundation, and Canada's International Development Research Centre.