Project Title:

Reprogramming Neural Plasticity: Mechanistic Links Between Regeneration, Degeneration, and Malignancy

Abstract

Our lab investigates how neural cells reprogram their identity and function in response to injury, degeneration, or oncogenic stress. We focus on neural plasticity—the ability of neurons, glia, and stem-like progenitors to dynamically shift between regenerative, degenerative, and malignant states. This intrinsic adaptability enables functional recovery after brain or spinal cord injury, yet when dysregulated, it contributes to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, and to the emergence of aggressive brain tumors like glioblastoma.

We seek to uncover the molecular programs that determine whether neural cells regenerate, degenerate, or transform. By integrating transcriptional, epigenetic, and metabolic analyses with live imaging and in vivo models, we investigate how signaling pathways such as Notch, PI3K–mTOR, and Wnt orchestrate these fate transitions. Particular emphasis is placed on neural stem and progenitor cells, whose context-dependent reprogramming represents both the foundation of neural repair and a potential origin of malignancy.

We welcome motivated students passionate about bridging fundamental neuroscience with translational discovery. In our multidisciplinary team, members will explore how the mechanisms governing neural plasticity can be harnessed to promote regeneration, prevent degeneration, and suppress tumor formation—advancing the next generation of therapeutic strategies for the injured and diseased brain.