Molecular dissection of c-Myc function in self renewal/differentiation of neural stem cells

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Recent discoveries in cell biology have shown that genes previously implicated in a variety of forms of cancer are also key regulators of the proliferation of normal stem cells. Various signals instruct cells whether to grow or to stop and become a particular cell type. These signals are crucial for proper organ function because the formation of a specific organ depends on the right amount of cell growth being balanced with the right ratio of cells forming differentiated and specialised cells. Here we will focus on brain stem cells and we will perform experiments to examine the function of particular genes, c-Myc and Bmi1, in regulating basic stem cell properties, such as proliferation/self renewal and differentiation. We hope these studies will provide insight into how neural stem cells are regulated during brain development and in neurogenic area of the adult brain.Understanding how specific genes promote the proliferation of neural stem cells will allow us to set the basis for a potential future development of new treatments for currently incurable brain diseases and injuries.