On this episode, Vivianne gives a primer on glial cells, with the goal of thinking about the central nervous system holistically and appreciating the different cell types that contribute to its function.
Mauro Costa-Mattioli joins TWiN to discuss how his laboratory dissects the contribution of host genetics and the microbiome in complex neurodevelopment disorders such as autism spectrum disorders.
TWiN 17: Worms see the light with Michael Nitabach
- April 21, 2021
- Tagged as: C. elegans, light sensing, nematode, nervous system, neurology, neuroscience, opsin, vision
Michael Nitabach joins TWiN to discuss the finding that the nematode C. elegans, which do not have eyes, can discriminate between colors to guide foraging decisions and move them away from harmful bacteria that produce a blue-pigment toxin.
Stefano joins TWiN to discuss his work on understanding genomic decoding of neuronal depolarization by stimulus-specific transcriptional regulators.
Helen joins TWiN to discuss her work on understanding how the maternal microbiome modulates fetal neurodevelopment in mice.
TWiN 14: Reducing Alzheimer-like pathology in mice
- January 14, 2021
- Tagged as: Alzheimer disease, amyloid beta, amyloid plaque, neurology, neuron, neuroscience
Ori, Jason, and Vincent discuss the use of antibodies to neutralize amyloid-β seeds before their deposition becomes detectable in transgenic mice, and the finding that the preclinical phase of Alzheimer‘s disease may be a late manifestation of earlier pathogenic seed formation.
Ori, Jason, and Vincent reveal identification of an orphan receptor that modifies short-term memory in mice, and a mouse model of COVID-19 that includes anosmia or loss of smell.
TWiN explains how a cytokine produced by neurons activates microglia which modify the extracellular matrix and remodel synapses, leading to memory consolidation.
Columbia University Chief Neurology Resident Genna Waldman joins TWiN to explains how her department prepared for COVID-19, and the neurological symptoms associated with the disease.
TWiN 8: Replacing lost neurons
- July 7, 2020
- Tagged as: astrocytes, CRISPR, dopamine, gene editing, glial cells, neurology, neurons, neuroscience, neurotransmitter
TWiN explains how neurological disease in mice can be repaired by using CRISPR/Cas to knock down levels of a single cell protein, which converts astrocytes to neurons.