Spastin locally amplifies microtubule dynamics to pattern the axon for presynaptic cargo delivery - preLights
In early synaptogenesis, localised microtubule severing facilitates axonal pre-patterning
The labs latest effort at studying the role of cellular migration in the formation of the cerebellum, a highly dense brain region involved in fine motor movements and relaying sensory information. Our preprint is linked here; study led by student Marley Blommers:
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.12.557458v1Five Islands region of the Fundy coast of Nova Scotia. Within the past year we have experienced hurricane Fiona, historic fires and floods. We have made a Faustian bargain with living with modern conveniences, resulting in shocking change to the stability of our climate. We can’t go back, but we we can decarbonize our economy, and adapt. Will the world wake up from divisive politics and war to seed a better future for all?
I want to pause this morning and reflect on the state we find ourselves in. Nova Scotia began the summer with abnormally warm and dry conditions, which let to historic fires . The past weekend we had another event of first; massive flooding due to the wettest few weeks on record. But this is a story that is being repeated over much of the world. Scientists have been warning about this for decades. Unheeded by those in power because it wasn’t profitable to do so.
The cerebellum is part of our brains that helps regulate balanced movement but is also a major centre for sensory information integration. Attached is an image of the mouse cerebellar folium with beautifully branched Purkinje cells in white, and granule cells in red.
Here is a picture summarizing our recent publication, linked above.
https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dvdy.540 Our latest publication reveal a role for a novel cytoskeletal-associating protein called Mllt11 in the migration of retinal ganglion cells.
Frost highlighting a thistle in the morning walk.
https://www.brainrepair.ca/news/researcher-profile-angelo-iulianella A profile on our research and my training, as a way to re-introduce myself to the Mastodon community.
Brain Repair Centre | Halifax, Nova Scotia
Angelo Iulianella was born in Montreal to immigrant parents. He is fluently bilingual and proficient in Italian. Biology has been his passion since he was in school. He attended McGill University to pursue his BSc degree in Biology, specializing in molecular genetics. He then pursued doctoral train
Listened to a Friedman podcast interview of Dr Nathalie Cabrol. I was struck by Cabrol’s eloquence, contrasting Friedman’s arrogance (an AI scientist) on the possibility of the AI singularity. No one fully understands the wetware that is our brains, but computer scientists almost always feel they can recreate the complexity of the human brain in silico. I, like Cabrol, am sceptical. But the rush to manufacture AI should be scrutinized/controlled to avoid massive disruptions.
preLights
