Time:14:00-16:00, Mar. 20th (Thursday)

Venue: Medical Science Building B323

Reporter: Dr. Yimin Zou, Vice Chair at University of California at San Diego

Introduction

My lab studies molecular and cellular mechanisms of axon guidance, synapse formation, and assembly, stability and regeneration of neural circuits. We identify molecular guidance cues that provide directional information for axon wiring in vivo as well as signal transduction pathways and cell biological mechanisms underlying growth cone turning. We also study synaptogenesis and how specific synaptic connection patterns emerge from the interplay of molecular guidance system and neural activity. We are interested in how central nervous system responds to traumatic injury and develop therapeutic approaches to promote axonal and neuronal survival to combat degenerative disorders and improve axon regeneration and functional recovery following spinal cord injury.