Name | Genetic Disease Research |
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Chairman |
Professor Shinji Hirotsune
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Contact |
Phone:+81-6-6645-3726 Email:shinjih@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp |
Website | |
Overview | We have longstanding interest in brain morphogenesis. In particular, we have been focused on the molecular mechanisms of neuronal migration. In a series of experiments, we found that Lis1 protein, which was identified as a mutated gene in lissencephaly, is a regulator of cytoplasmic dynein. We also discovered unconventional microtubules with unique functions. Currently, we are characterizing the components of these unconventional microtubules and their specialized roles in intracellular transport. Through these experiments, we will be able to shed light on a new pathway of transport regulation mediated by unconventional microtubules, as well as the role of these microtubules in the pathogenesis of developmental defects of the brain and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson disease. |