Research Seminar: “Gene Regulatory Networks Controlling Serotonergic Function Across the Lifespan”

Speaker: Evan Deneris, PhD, Professor of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosciences

Talk Summary: Serotonin (5-HT) influences the excitability of neural circuits throughout the central nervous system via an expansive topographically organized axonal architecture issuing from small numbers of 5-HT synthesizing neurons. Altered 5-HT function is associated with many neuropsychiatric disorders. This has led to intense interest in understanding whether altered development or maintenance of 5-HT neurons leads to brain disease susceptibility. The Deneris lab is investigating the gene regulatory networks (GRN) that generate 5-HT neurons, build their axonal projections and maintain 5-HT signaling in adulthood. We are also investigating the potential functional impact of human disease causing missense mutations in 5-HT GRNs.

Hosted by Pat Levitt, PhD, Simms/Mann Chair in Developmental Neurogenetics, Institute for the Developing Mind, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, WM Keck Provost Professor of Neurogenetics, Keck School of Medicine of USC.

RSVP Required totecpad@chla.usc.edu.