Main Areas of Research Training
| • |
Neurodegeneration, apoptosis, mitochondrial
function: Cotman, Glabe, Lynch, Weiss, Wallace.
Training on the mechanisms causing neurons to
dysfunction and degenerate underlie numerous
research strategies taken up by Trainees. This
includes training in culture and animal models
and on features of cells in postmortem tissues.
The addition of Wallace will greatly expand
our capacity on mitochondrial function and neuronal
dysfunction/degeneration. |
| • |
Neuroimmunological mechanisms: Tenner, Lane,
Keirstead, Gupta, Gall: Recent epidemiological
data as well as vaccination data in animal models
underscore the importance of training in this
area.
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| • |
Molecular genetics and transgenic models: Wallace,
LaFerla, Moyzis, and Zhou. Recent progress in
the field and the rich opportunities growing out
of the use these powerful techniques offer evidence
that training in this area is invaluable. |
| • |
Learning, memory and brain plasticity: Starr,
Kawas, McGaugh, Lynch, Cotman, Gall, and Marshall.
Clearly at a behavioral level the capacity to
preserve the ability to learn and remember in
the course of aging is central to the field and
training in this area is essential. Sensory processing,
encoding, retrieval and motor control can be maintained
during successful aging but are compromised in
varying degrees during AD. A key issue for age-related
dementia research is properly discriminating among
pathologies responsible for lost learning function. |
| • |
Structural and chemical approaches to neuropharmacology
and brain aging: Nowick, Poulos, Chamberlin, and
Glabe. |
| • |
Image analysis and bio-informatics: Sheu, Nalcioglu,
and Granger. A rapidly growing area is the computer-based
analysis of histology data, brain imaging data
and the generation of databases to manage the
vast basic and clinical data. The field will need
individuals who have experience in these increasingly
critical bio-informatics tools. |
 |
Special experimental models and techniques
(see also individual research descriptions)
| • |
Primary cell culture, cell lines and brain slice
cultures: Cotman, Lynch, Gall, Tenner, and Weiss. |
| • |
Various rodent models including genetically
modified mouse models including those derived
at UCI, which includes a novel triple transgenic
mouse, mutant amyloid precursor protein mouse
models, SOD -/- mice, select transgenic crosses:
LaFerla, Tenner, Zhou, Wallace, and Gall. |
| • |
Postmortem canine (dog) brain tissues, human
brain autopsy tissues from control cases and various
stages of cognitive dysfunction, e.g., AAMI, MCI,
AD: Cotman, Tenner, Glabe, Kawas, Lynch, etc. |
| • |
Confocal microscope, Ciphergen SELDI/MALDI technology,
Affymetrix GeneChip Instrument System plus training.
Weiss, LaFerla, Lane, Jeon, etc. |
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