“Post-transcriptional Regulation in Neurodevelopment and Plasticity”

Part of the Progress in Neuroscience Seminar (PINS) series Mollie K. Meffert, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor, Depts. of Biological Chemistry and Neuroscience, John Hopkins University, School of Medicine Abstract The Meffert lab studies mechanisms by which programs of gene expression are synchronously coordinated and maintained to underly enduring changes in brain function. One focus of our research investigates the upstream post-transcriptional processes, coordinated by RNA-binding proteins and non-coding RNA, that can orchestrate the subcellular control of genes required to accurately alter synapse growth and excitation. We leverage discoveries of molecular gene control mechanisms in settings of disease of the nervous system, including autism and chronic pain, with the goal of uncovering potential therapeutic targets. Publications Huang YW, Ruiz CR, Eyler ECH, Lin K, Meffert MK. Dual regulation of miRNA biogenesis generates target specificity in neurotrophin-induced protein synthesis. Cell. 2012; 148(5):933-946.Amen AM, Ruiz CR, Shi J, Subramanian M, Pham DL, Meffert MK. A rapid induction mechanism for Lin28a in trophic responses. Molecular Cell. 2017; 65(3)490-503Mills WT IV, Nassar NN, Ravindra D., Li X., Meffert MK. Multi-Level Regulatory Interactions between NF-B and the Pluripotency Factor Lin28. Cells. Special Issue NF-kB in Stem Cells and the Nervous System: From Embryonal Development to Adulthood. 2020; 9(12): 2710, 1-16.