Anne Engmann (ETHZ 2019)

Molecular Machinery for Axon Growth

My long-term goal is to achieve neural circuit regeneration in the mature central nervous system, where regenerative capacity is limited, by implementing knowledge on how axons of cortical projection neurons grow over long distances during development to generate exquisitely precise and highly subtype-specific circuitry.

I am particularly interested in corticospinal projection neurons, since they are crucial for voluntary motor control and damage to their axons (due to spinal cord injury or neurodegenerative disorders, like ALS) causes motor dysfunction.
My current work focuses on understanding molecular processes involved in corticospinal circuit formation and regeneration with subcellular specificity. I apply a combination of subcellular isolation and deep molecular assessment to understand the dynamic changes in local molecular machinery of the neuronal cell body and axonal growth cone, the leading tip of a growing axon. Understanding local molecular differences between developing and mature corticospinal neurons will potentially pave the way for novel regenerative approaches.