18. GOALS FOR FELLOWSHIP TRAINING AND CAREER This fellowship will provide me with a unique training experience. Coming from a psychology and art background, myacceptance into a graduate program in neuroscience was a significant accomplishment. Interestingly, psychology taught me about behavior, art taught me about creativity, and together these learning experiences instilled within me a passion for neuroscience. Graduate school has offered me an opportunity to explore new areas of study, and this award will allow me to pursue my long-term goal of becoming an independent scientist. I expect that my graduate experience will train me to design and perform experiments, communicate my findings at scientific meetings and publish manuscripts describing my research. As a result of being a member of a developmental neuroscience lab I have already become familiar with many molecular and cell biology techniques. The research proposed in this application will require that I expand this repertoire of skills, and as a result directly contribute to my development as an independent scientist. By studying spinal motor neuron development I ultimately hope to contribute to the larger cause of one day elucidating therapeutic strategies that may facilitate recovery from spinal cord injury. SPONSOR 20. POSITION/RANK Associate Professor of Pathology and Neuroscience 21. RESEARCH INTERESTS/AREAS :i !, Axon guidance in the developing spinal cord [] ;_.'_;W:I_(_; i ',J:(t] ',,[o}.'f;1 22. DESCRIPTION (Do not exceed space provided) A long-term goal of my research is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that control axon guidance in the developing mammalian central nervous system (CNS). The mechanisms regulating the pathfinding events of vertebrate motor neurons are not well understood, primarily due to the lack of appropriate cell surface markers with which to identify specific classes 'of spinal motor neurons and their axons. The molecular mechanisms that regulate the directionality of motor axon outgrowth must be understood prior to developing therapies designed to repair damage caused by disease or injury. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) SAC1 was recently identified as a specific marker of a small, bilaterally-symmetric population of motor neurons in the embryonic rat ventral spinal cord. Uniquely, this subset of motor neurons, referred to as spinal accessory motor neurons (SACMN), extend dorsally-projecting axons that innervate a small number of muscle groups in the neck. The specificity of mAb SAC1 allows for experiments to be performed that may elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing their guidance. Thus, the results of the proposed studies are directly relevant to the design of strategies aimed at restoring motor control in diseased or injured individuals. I propose to determine the spatiotemporal distribution of mAb SACl-positive motor neurons/axons in the developing rat and mouse CNS and identify attractive/repulsive molecules that regulate the growth of mAb SACl-positive axons in vitro. In addition, I will determine whether the floor plate plays a significant role in regulating the trajectory of spinal accessory motor axons in vivo, and characterize the distribution of the mAb SAC1 antigen in the CNS of a knockout mouse in which all motor neurons leave the spinal cord through the lateral exit points. PHS 416-1 (Rev. 12/98) Form Page 2 BB cc Individual NRSA Application Table of Contents ========================================Section End===========================================

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31NS043852-03
Application #
6823247
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F03A (20))
Program Officer
Sheehy, Paul A
Project Start
2002-12-01
Project End
2005-11-30
Budget Start
2004-12-01
Budget End
2005-11-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$52,856
Indirect Cost
Name
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
110521739
City
Bronx
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10461
Dillon, A K; Jevince, A R; Hinck, L et al. (2007) UNC5C is required for spinal accessory motor neuron development. Mol Cell Neurosci 35:482-9
Dillon, Allison K; Fujita, Shinobu C; Matise, Michael P et al. (2005) Molecular control of spinal accessory motor neuron/axon development in the mouse spinal cord. J Neurosci 25:10119-30