Biology

Dr. Quasar Saleem Padiath
Dept. of Human Genetics Graduate School of Public Health University of Pittsburgh

Abstract:

Research in the last few decades has revolutionized our understanding of the nuclear lamina and its contribution to cellular function. Originally thought of as a purely structural component important for nuclear shape, we now know that the nuclear lamina is critical in regulating a wide variety of cellular processes. At the organismal level the nuclear lamina has also been implicated in both normal and pathological aging. Dr. Padiath identified mutations of the gene, Lamin B1, an integral component of the nuclear lamina, as the cause of the demyelinating disorder Autosomal Dominant Leukodystrophy (ADLD). Research from his lab aims to decipher novel functions for the nuclear lamina at the intersection of disease, development and aging with a specific emphasis on the CNS. This talk will deal with the identification of pathways linking the nuclear lamina to myelin regulation, the development of novel models for the architecture of the nuclear envelope and potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of ADLD that may also help understanding other common demyelinating disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS).