Maria Gallegos Faculty Profile

My lab is interested in neurodevelopment. We want to understand how a neuron's complex morphology is not only established but maintained throughout the life of an animal. Our long-term goal is to identify the genes and understand the molecular mechanisms that specifically control late steps in neurodevelopment by exploiting the experimental advantages and anatomical simplicity of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. Conserved molecules required to build this worm’s simple nervous system often function to regulate neurodevelopment in higher eukaryotes. Our hope is that the conserved molecules we identify might function similarly in mammals during development and within the context of injury or disease. For example, genes that act to terminate neurite growth as the nervous system forms might also hinder regrowth in severed axons that fail to regenerate.

• Ph.D. University of Wisconsin, Madison