Primary cilia are organelles that transduce vital intercellular signals, and extend from most types of cells in vertebrates. Because of their role in developmental signaling pathways, dysfunction of primary cilia is linked to many hereditary developmental disorders. While most cells in adult tissues also remain ciliated, the roles of cilia in signal transduction in adulthood are largely unknown.  My lab uses mouse genetic models such as conditional mutants of key ciliary proteins to define the requirements for cilia and ciliary signals in specific tissues both during embryonic and postnatal development as well as adulthood. Through this approach, we have identified a requirement for primary cilia in the adult cerebellum in maintaining the connectivity and viability of Purkinje neurons.  Our data suggest that primary cilia play an integral role in maintaining adult neuronal function, and reveal novel insights into the mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration. Additionally, our lab has been exploring possible connections between ciliary signaling and mammary tumor dormancy and recurrence, finding that cilia are associated with recurrent tumors in a mouse tumor-progression model.

Host:
Dr Jun Nishiyama
Assistant Professor
Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Programme
Duke-NUS Medical School

Venue:
Duke-NUS Medical School
Amphitheatre, Level 2

Contact Person:
Ms Serene Wie, Duke-NUS Research Affairs Department
Email: serene.wie@duke-nus.edu.sg