Molecular Neuroscience Laboratory - Honours projects available in 2010
An Honours project undertaken in this lab would be administered by the Discipline of Physiology.
- Protein kinase signaling at the neuromuscular junction
Supervisor + contact details:
- Associate Professor William Phillips
Receptor tyrosine kinases in the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction can be activated by secreted signaling proteins from the nerve (agrin and neuregulin). These signals some how help control the growth, plasticity and regeneration of the synapse. This project will use laser-capture micro-dissection to isolate synapses and investigate the downstream protein phosphorylation targets of synaptic signaling.
- Agrin, exercise and the aging neuromuscular junction
Supervisor + contact details:
- Associate Professor William Phillips
n old age our muscles loose mass and strength (sarcopenia). Part of this weakness seems to be due to impaired maintenance and regenerative ability of the neuromuscular synapse. This project will use confocal microscope analysis to study changes in the influences of agrin/MuSK signaling and acetylcholine signaling (endurance exercise) upon the health of the aging neuromuscular synapse.
