Mark Jacquin, Ph.D.

DEPARTMENT OF Neurology
Keywords: development, injury, neurotrophin, pattern formation, sensory systems, transcription factors

The long-term aim of our research is fourfold:

1) to determine the cellular circuitry responsible for the functional organization of sensory systems;
2) to uncover cellular and molecular principles controlling development of the mammalian peripheral and central nervous systems;
3) to assess the structural and functional consequences of peripheral and central nervous system injury;
4) to isolate effective strategies for repair of injuried neural tissue.

The rodent somatosensory system is being used as a model because of its stereotyped normal organization which lends itself to quantification, its known susceptibility to injury, and its clinical applications.