Undergraduate Institution and Major/Degree:

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Research Description:

Formation of topologically precise, functional synapses is requisite for maturation of the nervous system, as well as for the development of proper motor behaviors. Specifically, climbing fibers (CF) originating in the inferior olivary nucleus of the brainstem send excitatory projections to Purkinje cells (PC) in the cerebellar cortex, contacting them on the soma and proximal dendrites. Early in development PCs are contacted by several CFs. Extraneous CF projections are recessively eliminated in a higly-regulated manner such that each PC is contacted by only one CF in the adult cerebellum. This one-to-one relationship is appears to be essential for proper synaptogenesis of parallel fiber (PF)-PC synapses, as well as motor coordination in the adult. Our recent findings suggest abnormal cerebellar circuitry in a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) that may be a consequence of aberrations in a development plan. I plan to use flavoprotein autoflurescence imaging, behavioral studies, and cellular and molecular approaches to examine the underlying cause(s) that result in cerebellar abnormalities in a conditional SCA1 mouse model.

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Courses Taken Beyond the Core Courses:

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Selected Publications and Presentations:

• Abstract for SFN 2006: Barnes, J., Gang, C., Popa, L., Wang, X., Hess, E.J., and Ebner, T.J. (2006) Low Frequency Oscillations in the Cerebellar Cortex of the Tottering Mouse are Primarily Due to Ca 2+ Channel Dysfunction in Purkinje Cells. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting.

Professional Memberships:

Home Town:

• Midland, Michigan