USC Stem Cell Distinguished Speaker Series: Pierre Drapeau, Ph.D

Date: TUESDAY, JANUARY 10 11 A.M.–12 P.M.
Location: BROAD CIRM CENTER, FIRST FLOOR SEMINAR ROOM

Webcast: KECKMEDIA.USC.EDU/STEM-CELL-SEMINAR

“Fishing for mechanisms of neuronal generation and survival in health and disease”

Information: Pierre Drapeau has pioneered the use of zebrafish as a model to characterize human mutations related to nervous system disorders and screen for therapeutics. Glycine signaling in zebrafish embryos, like GABA for adult mouse brain neuronal stem cells, promotes neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, mutations of key genes in this process have been implicated in autism and early onset epilepsy, indicating a conserved, novel pathway in neurogenesis. He has also created genetic models of ALS and screened small chemical libraries, with a repurposed neuroleptic showing promise in clinical trial. Host: Justin Ichida, PhD.