Molecular, Cellular, and Circuit Mechanisms of Nociception Behavior

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Abstract Nociception, the sensory mechanism that allows animals to sense and avoid potentially tissue-damaging stimuli, is critical for survival across species. Nociceptors are specialized neurons that detect and respond to potentially damaging factors through the expression of molecules that function to detect and signal the presence of potential harm. The primary focus of the research in my laboratory has been the study of nociception, however, we have also explored mechanisms underlying the sense of gentle touch, and most recently, the sense of proprioception. We have found that each of these senses relies on specific classes of non-ciliated multidendritic sensory neurons. The multidendritic neurons that are dedicated to a specific sensory modality are morphologically distinct from one another, and they have diverse patterns of gene expression. We seek to define how these distinct morphologies relate to function, and how ensembles of genes expressed within the distinct morphological types of neurons control sensory pathways of somatosensation with a primary focus on nociception. The overarching theme of our research program is understanding the molecular, cellular, and circuit, mechanisms underlying nociception. The primary goal of our research program in the next 5 years will be to further characterize the function of the nociception genes that we have identified using forward genetics. Our focus is on evolutionarily conserved genes that are not already understood to play important roles in nociception. These studies provide the greatest impact in creating new knowledge. In addition, we plan to begin to understand the neuronal network for nociception behavior.