Request for Funding
Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2004
Mentor: Amelia J. Eisch, Ph.D.
Department: Psychiatry
Room number: NC6.506E
Mail Code: 9070
Phone number: 214-648-5549
E-mail: amelia.eisch@utsouthwestern.edu
Website: http://www3.utsouthwestern.edu/eisch/home.html
Project title: Is adult neurogenesis involved in addiction, depression or Alzheimer's Disease?
Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):
IACUC-approved animal protocol number: 0960-03-02-1
Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)
This is animal-based and/or basic research on adult neurogenesis. We do this research on tissue from rat, mouse, and human brain, but the student does not have to work with rats and mice if they do not want to - just with the tissue. However, if the student would like to work on animal-based research, we can also train the student to collect the brain tissue, or we can modify the project in order to have a animal-base research component (e.g. treat the animals with a drug of abuse and then analyze the brain tissue for alterations in adult neurogenesis; see http://www3.utsouthwestern.edu/eisch/home.html for examples).
Brief Description of Project:
The human brain is known to make new neurons throughout life (Eriksson PS et al., Neurogenesis in the adult human hippocampus. Nature Medicine Nov 4:1998). The birth of new neurons is restricted to a few brain regions, such as the hippocampus, a brain region involved with learning and memory. While the functional implication of new neurons in the adult hippocampus is unknown, studies suggest that the new neurons contribute to both hippocampal structure and function.
Students are welcome to work on one of three areas in relation to adult neurogenesis: its relationship to addiction, depression or Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Some sample questions asked include:
Addiction: We know that adult neurogenesis is decreased after chronic exposure to drugs of abuse. To what extent does this decrease in adult neurogenesis lead to decreased brain function? Does the route of drug administration (forced vs. self-administration) influence adult neurogenesis? Do these new neurons play a role in addiction, or are they just influenced by addiction?
Depression: We know that chronic exposure to antidepressants increases the adult neurogenesis? To what extent does this increase in adult neurogenesis lead to increased brain function? Do all antidepressant influence adult neurogenesis in the same way?
Alzheimer's Disease: AD is marked by decrease in hippocampal function, such as memory loss. Therefore, we hypothesize that the brains of humans with Alzheimer's Disease may have altered hippocampal neurogenesis. Is adult neurogenesis altered in human brains of AD patients? Is adult neurogenesis altered in a mouse model of AD? Is Abeta directly responsible for altered neurogenesis?
Most projects will consist of: sectioning brain tissue; performing immunohistochemistry for endogenous cell cycle markers, such as PCNA and Ki67; performing immunohistochemistry for exogenous cell cycle markers, such as BrdU; counting the proliferating and mature cells in the hippocampus using light- and fluorescent-microscopy; identifying the phenotype of the newly-born and mature hippocampal cells using triple-labeling immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. Some projects will also consist of examining brain function using a battery of behavioral tests. In addition to learning the techniques of histology, immunohistochemistry and light and confocal microscopy, the student will also learn fundamental concepts in stem cell biology and neuroanatomy.
Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:
My complete c.v. is available on my website: http://www3.utsouthwestern.edu/eisch/home.html.
It details all my research, publications, and teaching, and also describes the career trajectory of the many students I have mentored over the years.
I have been fortunate to work with undergraduate and graduate students for many years. At the University of CA, Irvine, I worked with the following undergraduates: Eric Salib, 1992-1994; Esther Ro ,1994-1996; Julie Chen ,1995-1997; and Adrian Lobito ,1995-1997. At Yale University Medical School, I worked with three undergraduates, Ariel Otero,1997-1999; Ifeoma Okafor ,1998-1999; and Alexia Harrist,1999-2000. Since joining the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, I have had the pleasure of working with Ryan Simonak, an undergraduate at Rice University, for the summers of 2001 and 2002; Jessica Yee, an undergraduate at Stanford University for the summer of 2003; Lina Seikh, an undergraduate at UT Austin for the summer of 2003; Tzong-Shiue (Tony) Yu, Ozgur Karakazu, Mike Donovan, Ed Hurlock, and Deanna Wallace-Black, all UTSWMC graduate students. Several of the students who have worked with me will be an author on manuscripts that are in press (Simonak), submitted (Harrist) or in preparation (Yu, Yee, Seikh). I am also pleased to be a faculty participant in the Fourth Academy.
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