COBRE IN SENSORY NEUROSCIENCE

感觉神经科学为科学研究提供了一种多学科方法的丰富挑战，其中从分子到系统方法的所有层次的分析都可以与认知感知事件相关。我们建议创建一个多学科的感觉神经科学生物医学研究卓越中心，其成员结合他们的集体经验来解决与人类疾病治疗方法发展有关的基本科学问题。提出了五个以发展和塑性为主题的研究项目。提出了从遗传到功能性脑成像分析先天性和发育性感觉障碍的技术，以及体外发育神经元的解剖学、生理学和分子联合分析。这些研究的目标是重要的和及时的感觉神经生物学的主题，并利用动物和人类，包括儿科对象。项目1调查亚瑟综合征的遗传基础，这是一种先天性听力和平衡障碍。项目2利用脑功能成像来表征成人和儿童的屈光不正的中枢缺陷，并定义和评估新的治疗策略。项目#3调查了中枢听觉系统发育过程中轴突寻路的结构基础，以支配适当的靶点。项目#4评估了钙信号和神经传递在突触接触的形成和稳定中的作用。项目#5确定了引导听觉系统细胞组的立位形成或频率组织的分子信号。五个提议的项目中有四个已经通过了国家卫生研究院的功绩审查，并被建议使用小额赠款机制提供资金。拟议中的中心将在我们州的两所医学院之间建立联系，并发生在两家机构都在投资扩大其神经科学研究事业的战略时刻。这组感觉神经科学家已经达到了临界值，在这里要求的教员扩充和研究支持下，他们将获得支持，成为国际上独一无二的资源。在授予这个Cobre之后，西弗吉尼亚医学院将把整个WFVU Cobre科学家队伍重新安置到重新设计和完全翻新的实验室空间，在资助期间，马歇尔大学医学院承诺在获得资金后扩大和翻新Cobre实验室空间。

Sensory neuroscience offers a rich class of challenges of multi- disciplinary approaches to scientific investigation, in which all levels of analysis, from molecular to systems approaches, can be related to cognitive perceptual events. We propose to create a multi-disciplinary Center for Biomedical Research Excellence in Sensory Neuroscience whose members combined their collective experience to solve basic scientific problems that bear on development of treatments for human disease. Five research projects are proposed that are centered on the topics of development and plasticity. Techniques ranging from genetic to functional brain imaging analysis of congenital and developmental sensory disorders, and combined anatomical, physiological and molecular analyses of developing neurons in vitro are proposed. These studies are aimed at important and timely topics in sensory neurobiology and utilize both animal and human, including pediatric subjects. Project #1 investigates the genetic basis for Usher's syndrome, a congenital disorder of hearing and balance. Project #2 utilizes functional brain imaging to characterize central deficits in Amybylopia in adults and children and to define and evaluate new treatment strategies. Project #3 investigates the structural basis for axonal pathfinding to innervate appropriate targets during development of the central auditory system. Project #4 evaluates the role of calcium signaling and neural transmission in the formation and stabilization of synaptic contacts. Project #5 identifies molecular signals that guide formation of tonotopic, or frequency organization of auditory system cell groups. Four of the five proposed projects have passed merit review at NIH and were recommended for funding using small grant mechanisms. The proposed center forges ties between our state's two medical schools and occurs at a strategic time when both institutions are investing in expansion of their neuroscience research enterprise. This group of sensory neuroscientists has reached a critical mass and, with the faculty expansion and research support requested herein, will have the support to become a unique resource of international distinction. Upon awarding of this COBRE, the West Virginia School of Medicine will relocate the entire contingent of WFVU COBRE scientists to redesigned and completely renovated laboratory space during the term of funding Marshall University School of Medicine pledges to expand and renovate COBRE lab space when funded.