Biochemical measures of gene expression networks and neural circuits.

哺乳动物大脑最迷人的一个方面是它是可塑的。也就是说，它显示了对经验做出反应的能力。神经可塑性是所有类型的经验驱动的、长期的大脑功能变化的基础。这是一个促进行为持久改变的基本过程。虽然可塑性可以导致促进适应性行为的变化，如学习、社会认知和联想记忆，但它也可以促进不适应的变化，如伤害性超敏反应和成瘾。哺乳动物大脑中发生了许多协调的细胞和分子事件来协调行为，几十年的研究表明，神经元具有改变其功能、遗传谱和结构的能力。尽管如此，对神经可塑性的基本机制的完整理解仍然缺乏，我们仍然没有完全理解神经元回路如何响应经验而变化。此外，由于神经可塑性代表了促进适应性和非适应性行为变化的基本过程，如记忆和伤害性超敏反应，一个重要的问题仍然存在：所有的神经可塑性系统都以同样的方式工作，还是存在与特定经历相关的特定神经可塑性变化？为此，PI和共同申请者在不同的神经发育阶段对雌性和雄性小鼠和大鼠进行研究，以研究正常和异常的大脑功能。我们是一个多元化的神经科学研究小组，将利用所需的设备来测量组织样本中的蛋白质，DNA和RNA。通过测量这些分子，我们将更深入地了解大脑功能是如何随着经历而变化的。我们需要一种先进的系统，能够在一个样本中测量多个目标，产生强大的分析，允许对数据进行强有力的，自信的解释。我们的实验将测量蛋白质表达水平的活性依赖性变化，以及蛋白质的酶依赖性修饰。许多受训人员将大量使用这种设备，他们将获得分子生物学方面的宝贵技能，为他们在工业和生物技术部门的职业生涯提供重要技能。

One of the most fascinating aspects of the mammalian brain is that it is plastic. That is, it displays the ability to change in response to experience. Neuroplasticity underlies all types of experience-driven, long-term changes brain function. It is a fundamental process that promotes lasting changes in behaviour. Whereas plasticity can lead to changes that promote adaptive behaviours, such as learning, social recognition, and associative memory, it can also promote maladaptive changes, such as nociceptive hypersensitivity and addiction. Numerous coordinated cellular and molecular events take place in the mammalian brain to orchestrate behaviour, and decades of research have shown that neurons possess the capacity to change their function, genetic profile, and structure. Despite this, a complete understanding of the basic mechanisms involved in neuroplasticity is still lacking, and we still do not fully understand how neuronal circuits change in response to experience. Moreover, as neuroplasticity represents fundamental processes that promote both adaptive and maladaptive changes in behaviour, such as memory and nociceptive hypersensitivity, an important question remains: Do all neuroplasticity systems work the same way, or are there specific neuroplastic changes associated with specific experiences? Toward this end, the PI and co-applicants work with female and male mice and rats, across different stages of neurodevelopment, to investigate normal and aberrant brain function. We are a diverse group of neuroscience researchers that will utilize the requested equipment to measure protein, DNA, and RNA in tissue samples. By measuring these molecules, we will gain a deeper understanding of how brain function changes in response to experience. We are requesting an advanced system that will enable measures of multiple targets in one sample, yielding powerful analyses that allow for strong, confident interpretations of data. Our experiments will measure activity-dependent changes in protein expression levels, and enzyme-dependent modifications of proteins. This equipment will be heavily used by numerous trainees, who will gain valuable skills in molecular biology, providing them with important skills towards careers in industry and biotechnology sectors.