Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2004

Shipp Eric L, Alhambra CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2004. The goal of the fellowship is to increase the participation of minority scientists at the postdoctoral level and to prepare them for positions of scientific leadership in academia and industry. To attain this goal, the fellowship provides opportunities for postdoctoral training and research of the highest quality to recent doctoral recipients. It is expected that Fellows supported through these fellowships will play important roles in training of the future workforce. The research and training plan is entitled "The role of heparan sulfate in mammalian brain development." Axonal guidance and neuronal migration are processes whereby axons and neurons are biochemically directed throughout the central nervous system in a developing organism. During this critical developmental stage, axons must travel considerable distances in a very ordered fashion. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSGs) are negatively charged, sulfated polysaccharides found on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix. Recent studies suggest that HSGs play an integral role in promoting the activity of Slit, a family of secreted neuronal guidance proteins. Slit initiates axonal repulsion by binding to the cell surface receptor, Roundabout (Robo). Removal of cell surface HSGs abolishes the chemorepulsive response of Slit toward growing axons and migrating neurons. To elucidate the precise mechanism by which HSGs promote Slit-mediated processes, this research examines the role of HSG and the impact of HSG structure on Slit-induced axonal guidance and cellular migration. The fellowship supports research and training at the interface of chemistry and neurobiology.