Dr Nicola Hamilton-Whitaker
WIBR Seminar
'Neurotransmitter effects on the birth and death of oligodendrocytes'
Dr Nicola Hamilton-Whitaker
Senior Research Fellow
Neuro, Physiology & Pharmacology
Div of Biosciences
Host: Professor William D. Richardson
My recent research is focused on studying neuron-glial communication,
particularly how neurons and glial cells support or harm each other in
pathology. My latest publication (Nature, in press) shows that
oligodendrocytes, the glial cells which wrap neurons in order to speed
the conduction velocity of axonal action potentials, express a receptor
that can be activated in models simulating stroke. The existence of
these receptors on glial cells is a new concept, but in other organs
they are known as targets for noxious and inflammatory irritants. We now
need to determine why these receptors are there, how they normally
function, if they are activated in other demyelinating diseases and if
so, whether pharmacological inhibition of them is protective.
Links
https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=NBHAM12
Download poster
Date: Thursday 12th May 2016
Time: 4pm (please arrive 15 mins before start)
Venue: Cruciform Café, 1st Floor Cruciform Building, Gower Street, UCL, WC1E 6BT
Refreshments will be provided