Deciphering How PTEN Phosphatase Mediates Excitotoxic Neuronal Death
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$519,715.00
Summary
In stroke patients, oxygen deprivation indirectly induces massive nerve cell death by activating a cell death-promoting enzyme called PTEN. We aim at unravelling (i) how PTEN is activated by oxygen deprivation, (ii) where the activated PTEN is localised in cells, and (iii) how the activated and optimally localised PTEN induces nerve cell death. The study will benefit development of therapeutic strategies to protect against brain damage in stroke.
Regulation Of P75 Death Signalling: How Neurotransmitter- And Neurotrophic- Signals Determine Cell Survival
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$292,216.00
Summary
Nerve cell survival is dependent on trophic support in the form of growth factors and synaptic input, both of which promote recovery after nerve injury. The survival pathways activated by growth factors are generally well characterised, whereas survival signals activated by synaptic activity are largely unexplored. This proposal aims to discover how synaptic activity prevents nerve cell death by looking at how synaptic activity inhibits the processes active in dying nerve cells.