Positions and Honors

Dr. Patricia Maness was first to discover that proto-oncogenes play normal roles in cell differentiation. She revealed that the Src proto-oncogene regulates axon guidance in the developing nervous system. She transformed our understanding of neural cell adhesion molecules through novel mouse genetic models, identifying immunoglobulin-class CAMs as signaling receptors for repellent and attractant axon guidance cues (Semaphorins and Ephrins) vital to establishing neuronal connectivity in the developing brain. Recently she uncovered a novel selective spine pruning mechanism that eliminates overproduced dendritic spines in adolescence, thus shedding light on neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, schizophrenia) where excitatory-inhibitory balance in cortical networks is disrupted. Current studies focus on understanding how the high confidence autism risk gene Ankyrin2 affects cortical circuits leading to autistic behaviors such as learning and social deficits. Other studies focus on inhibitory interneurons, basket cells, and how they make synapses onto principal neurons (pyramidal neurons) in the prefrontal cortex. Synapses formed by CCK expressing basket interneurons appear to be targets of endocannabinoids and cannabinoid drugs of abuse. How these agents affect circuitry by remodeling basket cell synapses is under current investigation.

Positions

Honors and Activities