Programação
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Lecture: "The roles of NMNAT2, a NAD synthesizing enzyme and molecular chaperone, in maintaining brain health”.
Prof. Lu is the director of the Gill Center for Molecular Science. Prof. Lu lab is interested in how activity-dependent processes during brain development fine-tune the establishment of neural circuits and how neural activity affects neural circuit wiring and cognitive behaviors. Specifically, they are interested in exploring the role of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), a group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptor. mGluR5 mutations have been identified in some ADHD and schizophrenic patients. They employ genetic tools in an attempt to understand the contribution of mGluR5 signaling in specific neuronal populations to sensory circuit formation, synaptic function/plasticity, and behavior. Exploring the role of the endogenous cannabinoid (endocannabinoid) system in fetal brain development and investigating how prenatal cannabis exposure affects brain development and later behaviors. Understanding the effects of endocannabinoids during neural circuit formation will not only shed light on normal brain development and function but will also allow us to assess endocannabinoid-based therapies and the effects of cannabis use on the developing fetus.
CV and list of publications: http://www.lulaboratory.com/publications