Jordan Brown
Department: Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Danny Winder, Ph.D.
Dissertation Description: Role of DNA Methylation in Neuronal Intrinsic Excitability
Recent evidence has shown that alterations in intrinsic neuronal plasticity play a role in the formation and storage of memories. This memory-related plasticity often involves changes in activity or expression of ion channels in the plasma membrane. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, contribute to memory-related synaptic and homeostatic plasticity. My hypothesis is that DNA methylation regulates neuronal intrinsic excitability by altering ion channel gene expression, specifically of voltage- and calcium-gated potassium channels. My project uses transcription like effectors (TALEs) to artificially methylate these ion channels and determine alterations in intrinsic excitability using electrophysiological methods.