2025 Seed Grant
Kelsie Eichel, Ph.D.
University of Colorado, Boulder
The amazing functions of the brain start with a signal generated by a neuron. This signal generation requires a critical neuronal domain called the axon initial segment. Defects in axon initial segment structure are linked to an array of neurological disorders, including neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric diseases, such as autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as neuronal injury during ischemic stroke. It is therefore evident that axon initial segment structure is crucial for nervous system function, yet how this structure is formed and maintained is poorly understood. Our work addresses this question by focusing on extracellular matrix proteins outside of the neuron that affect the formation of the axon initial segment structure. By determining how the axon initial segment structure is formed and maintained in healthy neurons, we hope to better understand how it is altered in disease, with the ultimate goal of restoring axon initial segment function and alleviating neurological disease states.
