Control of local mRNA expression

The connections in our brain are continually changing. As we interact with our environment and each other, the connections between our neurons are remodeled so we can preserve these interactions such as learning and memory. At the molecular level, the brain performs this remodeling in part by expressing proteins in a local way at the connections between neurons (known as synapses). The process of synaptic remodeling is known as synaptic plasticity. Defects in synaptic plasticity are seen in many neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, fragile X mental retardation or spinal muscular atrophy. The general objective of our group is the acquisition of new knowledge about the molecular mechanisms that control the local expression of RNAs in synapses as a key mechanism of neuronal plasticity.