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. Using mouse models and primary neuron cultures, 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 their deregulation that leads to neurodevelopmental disorders as autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy or schizophrenia.

Our work focuses on:

• the function of microtubule associated proteins of CRMP family and their isoforms in neural development
• regulation of CRMP isoforms by prolyl isomerases during growth and guidance of axons/dendrites
• the efect of tubulin pottranslational modifications and microtubule associated proteins on microtubule dynamics and cortical development in vitro and in vivo