Bonnie Marsick Entering Class - 2004 E-mail: marsi023@umn.edu

Undergraduate Institution and Major/Degree:

• State University of New York (SUNY) College at Geneseo;
  BA in psychology; 2004

Major Advisor(s):

• Paul Letourneau, Ph.D.

Research Description:

I'm interested in how neural networks are formed during development and how to repair damaged networks in adulthood – as in the case of spinal cord injury. Specifically, I'm interested in how the motile tips of extending axons - growth cones - respond to the myriad of extracellular molecular cues that result in their connection with the correct target. We use in vitro as well as in vivo techniques to study the roles of specific proteins in this process.

Lab Rotations:

• Lorene Lanier

• Lance Zirpel

• Paul Letourneau

Conferences Attended:

• Society for Neuroscience, Annual Meeting: 2002-2007

Abstracts:

• Marsick BM and Letourneau PC. (November, 2007). ERM proteins mediate local responses of nerve growth cones to neurotrophins. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego , CA .

• Letourneau PC and Marsick BM. (November, 2007). Guidance of nerve growth cones by neurotrophins involves local stimulation of actin polymerization. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego , CA .

• Marsick BM and Letourneau PC. (October, 2006). Activation of ERM proteins in neuronal growth cones. Society for Neuroscience, Atlanta , GA.

• Marsick BM, Magee MA, Diffenderfer JA, and Bazzett TJ. (November, 2003). Time-course assessment of forepaw reaching ability in CAG repeat mice. Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans , LA.

• Marsick BM, Diffenderfer JA, Magee MA, and Bazzett TJ. (November, 2002). Automated assessment of forepaw reaching behavior in mice. Society for Neuroscience, Orlando , FL.

• Stark Travel Award; to learn a technique with Jim Bamburg at Colorado State University , 2007.

• Buffalo , NY