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Dr Jeremy Cook

  • Extension:

    46576

  • Email:

    j.cook@ucl.ac.uk

  • Webpage:

    http://www.ucl.ac.uk/cdb/research/cook

  • Address:

    Rockefeller 517 UCL Department of Cell & Developmental Biology,
    Gower Street,
    London ,
    WC1E 6BT

  • Appointments:

    Principal Teaching Fellow, Cell & Developmental Biology, Div of Biosciences

Summary

Jeremy Cook is currently a Principal Teaching Fellow in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology (Division of Biosciences) at UCL, and also Degree Programme Tutor for the BSc and MSci in Neuroscience. 

He obtained first-class honours in Physiological Sciences at Oxford in 1972, and then a DPhil at the University Laboratory of Physiology there for studies of axon guidance in the visual system. After a brief interlude as a clinical student, he began his research and teaching career in the Department of Human Anatomy at Oxford and moved to UCL in 1983, initially to continue investigating the role of activity-based synaptic mechanisms in setting up topographic brain maps. During the 1990s he became interested in the close relationship between neuronal diversity in the vertebrate retina and the regular ‘mosaic’ patterning of retinal neurons, a topic to which he subsequently made several authoritative and well-cited contributions and in which he continues to play an active part as a journal reviewer. His most recent research interest, however, has been the complex relationship between the interkinetic nuclear movements of retinal neuronal precursors and the migrations of postmitotic neurons to their sites of terminal differentiation.

Research Summary

The retina contains many discrete neuronal types that show characteristic patterns of lamination and regular, cell-type-specific tessellations in the retinal plane. The embryonic emergence of these patterns requires an elaborate system of self-recognition and selective growth inhibition among the neurons that intermingle in each layer. Recent technical advances have rekindled interest in this field, and a long-term aim is to visualize and manipulate these interactions in the living retina in vitro.

My recent research has focused on the embryonic stages at which neuronal precursors divide, undergo regular short-range migrations linked to the cell cycle (interkinetic movements), make decisions about cell-cycle exit, migrate away from the ventricular zone where they are born, and differentiate in appropriate laminar patterns. Although these early events occur throughout the central nervous system, the retina provides an accessible, well understood and very practical experimental model.

Research Activities

  • Axonal regeneration
  • Developmental neurobiology
  • Spatial patterning of neurons and connexin-based cell communication

Recent Publications

Displaying 43 most recent publications. For the full list please visit UCL Discovery

  1. Cook JE,Becker DL (2009) Gap-junction proteins in retinal development: new roles for the "nexus". Physiology, 24(August), 219 - 230. 10.1152/physiol.00007.2009.
  2. Cronin M,Anderson PN,Cook JE,Green CR,Becker DL (2008) Blocking connexin43 expression reduces inflammation and improves functional recovery after spinal cord injury Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, 39(2), 152 - 160. 10.1016/j.mcn.2008.06.005.
  3. Becker DL,Webb KF,Thrasivoulou C,Lin C-C,Nadershahi R,Tsakiri N,Cook JE (2007) Multiphoton imaging of chick retinal development in relation to gap junctional communication The Journal of Physiology, 585(3), 711 - 719. 10.1113/jphysiol.2007.138776.
  4. Wang CM,Lincoln J,Cook JE,Becker DL (2007) Abnormal connexin expression underlies delayed wound healing in diabetic skin Diabetes, 56(11), 2809 - 2817. 10.2337/db07-0613.
  5. Gorbe A,Krenacs T,Cook JE,Becker DL (2007) Myoblast proliferation and syncytial fusion both depend on connexin43 function in transfected skeletal muscle primary cultures Experimental Cell Research, 313(6), 1135 - 1148. 10.1016/j.yexcr.2007.01.012.
  6. Cook JE,Osmond MK (2004) The Embryonic Disk - a digital resource for the study of human development.
  7. Cook JE (2003) Spatial regularity among retinal neurons, 477 - 491.
  8. Cook JE,Osmond MK (2003) The Embryonic Disk - a digital resource for the study of human development.
  9. Cook JE,Osmond MK (2002) The Embryonic Disk - a digital resource for the study of human development.
  10. Cook JE,Podugolnikova TA (2001) Evidence for spatial regularity among retinal ganglion cells that project to the accessory optic system in a frog, a reptile, a bird and a mammal Visual Neuroscience, 18(2), 289 - 297.
  11. Cook JE,Osmond MK (2001) The Embryonic Disk - a digital resource for the study of human development.
  12. Cook JE,Osmond MK (2000) The Embryonic Disk - a digital resource for the study of human development.
  13. Cook JE,Chalupa LM (2000) Retinal mosaics: new insights into an old concept Trends in Neurosciences, 23(1), 26 - 34.
  14. Cook JE,Podugolnikova TA,Kondrashev SL (1999) Species-dependent variation in dendritic stratification in apparently homologous neuronal mosaics: Large retinal ganglion cells in two neoteleost fishes of the order Perciformes Vision Research, 39(16), 2615 - 2631.
  15. Becker DL,Cook JE,Davies CS,Evans WH,Gourdie RG (1999) Expression of major gap junction connexin types in the working myocardium of eight chordates Cell Biology International, 22(7), 527 - 543.
  16. Cook JE,Podugolnikova TA,Kondrashev SL (1999) Species-dependent variation in the dendritic stratification of apparently homologous retinal ganglion cell mosaics in two neoteleost fishes. Vision Res, 39(16), 2615 - 2631.
  17. Cook JE,Osmond MK (1999) The Embryonic Disk - a digital resource for the study of human development.
  18. Shamim KM,Toth P,Becker DL,Cook JE (1999) Large retinal ganglion cells that form independent, regular mosaics in the bufonoid frogs Bufo marinus and Litoria moorei. Visual Neuroscience, 16(5), 861 - 879.
  19. Ota D,Downing JEG,Cook JE (1999) Neuronal and glial cell types revealed by NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry in the retina of a teleost fish, the grass goby (Zosterisessor ophiocephalus, Perciformes, Gobiidae) Anatomy and Embryology, 200(5), 487 - 494.
  20. Cook JE,Noden AJ (1998) Somatic and dendritic mosaics formed by large ganglion cells in the retina of the common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 51(5), 263 - 283.
  21. Podugolnikova TA,Kondrashev SL,Cook JE (1998) Morphology of biplexiform ganglion cells in the retina of the greenling (Hexagrammos octagrammus) Sensornye Sistemy, 12(3), 293 - 302.
  22. Cook JE (1998) Getting to grips with neuronal diversity: what is a cell type?, 91 - 120.
  23. Cook JE,Osmond MK (1998) The Embryonic Disk - a digital resource for the study of human development.
  24. Shamim KM,Toth P,Cook JE (1997) Large retinal ganglion cells in the pipid frog Xenopus laevis form independent, regular mosaics resembling those of teleost fishes Visual Neuroscience, 14, 811 - 826.
  25. Shamim KM,Scalia F,Toth P,Cook JE (1997) Large retinal ganglion cells that form independent, regular mosaics in the ranid frogs Rana esculenta and Rana pipiens. Visual Neuroscience, 14, 1109 - 1127.
  26. Osmond M,Issroff K,Cook JE,O'Higgins P (1997) Integrating computers into students' learning of anatomy and embryology CTICM Newsletter.
  27. Cook JE (1996) Spatial properties of retinal mosaics: an empirical evaluation of some existing measures. Vis Neurosci, 13(1), 15 - 30.
  28. Cook JE,Kondrashev SL,Podugolnikova TA (1996) Biplexiform ganglion cells, characterized by dendrites in both outer and inner plexiform layers, are regular, mosaic-forming elements of teleost fish retinae. Vis Neurosci, 13(3), 517 - 528.
  29. Cook JE,Becker DL (1995) Gap junctions in the vertebrate retina Microscopy Research and Technique, 31(5), 408 - 419.
  30. Cook JE,Sharma SC (1995) Large retinal ganglion cells in the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus): three types with distinct dendritic stratification patterns form similar but independent mosaics. J Comp Neurol, 362(3), 331 - 349. 10.1002/cne.903620304.
  31. Dekkers J,Becker DL,Cook JE,Navarrete R (1994) Early postnatal changes in the somatodendritic morphology of ankle flexor motoneurons in the rat European Journal of Neuroscience, 6(1), 87 - 97.
  32. Cook JE,Becker DL,Kapila R (1992) Independent mosaics of large inner- and outer-stratified ganglion cells in the goldfish retina The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 318(4), 355 - 366.
  33. Cook JE (1991) Correlated activity in the CNS: a role on every timescale? Trends Neurosci, 14(9), 397 - 401.
  34. Cook JE,Becker DL (1991) Regular mosaics of large displaced and non-displaced ganglion cells in the retina of a cichlid fish The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 306(4), 668 - 684.
  35. Becker DL,Dekkers J,Navarrete R,Green CR,Cook JE (1991) Enhancing the laser scanning confocal microscopic visualization of Lucifer yellow filled cells in whole-mounted tissue Scanning Microscopy, 5(3), 619 - 624.
  36. Cook JE,Becker DL (1990) Spontaneous activity as a determinant of axonal connections European Journal of Neuroscience, 2(2), 162 - 169.
  37. Cook JE (1990) Morphological recovery of axotomized goldfish retinal ganglion cells in an environment known to prevent retinotopic refinement of their regenerated tectal arbors. Brain Res, 510(2), 181 - 189.
  38. Becker DL,Cook JE (1990) Changes in goldfish retinal ganglion cells during axonal regeneration Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 241(1301), 73 - 77. 10.1098/rspb.1990.0068.
  39. Becker DL,Cook JE (1988) Divergent axon collaterals in the regenerating goldfish optic tract: a fluorescence double-label study Development, 104(2), 317 - 320.
  40. Cook JE,Becker DL (1988) Retinotopic refinement of the regenerating goldfish optic tract is not linked to activity-dependent refinement of the retinotectal map Development, 104(2), 321 - 330.
  41. Cook JE (1988) Topographic refinement of the goldfish retinotectal projection: sensitivity to stroboscopic light at different periods during optic nerve regeneration. Exp Brain Res, 70(1), 109 - 116.
  42. Cook JE (1987) A sharp retinal image increases the topographic precision of the goldfish retinotectal projection during optic nerve regeneration in stroboscopic light. Exp Brain Res, 68(2), 319 - 328.
  43. Becker DL,Cook JE (1987) Initial disorder and secondary retinotopic refinement of regenerating axons in the optic tract of the goldfish: signs of a new role for axon collateral loss Development, 101(2), 323 - 337.

Biography

Jeremy Cook is currently a Principal Teaching Fellow in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology (Division of Biosciences) at UCL, and also Degree Programme Tutor for the BSc and MSci in Neuroscience. 

He obtained first-class honours in Physiological Sciences at Oxford in 1972, and then a DPhil at the University Laboratory of Physiology there for studies of axon guidance in the visual system. After a brief interlude as a clinical student, he began his research and teaching career in the Department of Human Anatomy at Oxford and moved to UCL in 1983, initially to continue investigating the role of activity-based synaptic mechanisms in setting up topographic brain maps. During the 1990s he became interested in the close relationship between neuronal diversity in the vertebrate retina and the regular ‘mosaic’ patterning of retinal neurons, a topic to which he subsequently made several authoritative and well-cited contributions and in which he continues to play an active part as a journal reviewer. His most recent research interest, however, has been the complex relationship between the interkinetic nuclear movements of retinal neuronal precursors and the migrations of postmitotic neurons to their sites of terminal differentiation.

Qualifications

  • 1979: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of Oxford
  • 1978: Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford
  • 1978: Master of Arts, University of Oxford
  • 1973: Bachelor of Arts, University of Oxford

Keywords

  • Anti-sense and morpholino approaches
  • Asymmetric cell division
  • Axon
  • Axon guidance
  • Calcium
  • Cell culture
  • Cell tracking
  • Confocal microscopy
  • Dendrite
  • Development
  • Differentiation
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)
  • Fluorescence microscopy techniques
  • Gene expression
  • Genetically encoded reporters/indicators
  • Growth cone
  • Image analysis
  • Imaging
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In vivo electroporation, ionophoresis and microinj
  • Interneurons
  • Light microscopic techniques
  • Microglia
  • Morphology
  • Multi-photon imaging
  • Neurogenesis
  • Neurogenesis, spatial patterning of neurons and connexin-based cell communication
  • Neuron
  • Not clinically oriented research
  • Progenitors
  • Retina
  • Signalling
  • Stem cells
  • Time-lapse imaging