Defects in signaling cascades are considered to contribute to many neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, but the exact molecular mechanisms underlying the onset of these diseases are so far largely unknown. We focus on identification of genes, molecular mechanism and signaling cascades that regulate neuron polarization, axonal/dendritic growth and guidance in the developing nervous system, and contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders when deregulated in terminally differentiated neurons.

Our work focuses on:

• the role of Pin1 catalyzed isomerization of microtubule associated proteins in axon/dendrite development
• the effect of protein isomerization on axon regeneration
• changes in phosphorylation and conformation of microtubule associated proteins in neurodegeneration