Dr. Joan Boggs

Biography

Joan Boggs is a Professor Emerita in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology. Her primary research focuses on understanding myelinogenesis and the role of oligodendrocytes. She is particularly interested in the structural roles of myelin basic protein interactions with the cytoskeleton and the influence of glycosphingolipids on cell-surface phenomena. Dr. Boggs has employed various biochemical, biophysical, and cell biology techniques, including electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, cysteine-scanning, and confocal microscopy. Through her work, she has discovered that myelin basic protein interacts with numerous proteins and is crucial for the assembly and functioning of cytoskeletal signaling proteins in relation to myelin. In addition, she has researched the effects of estrogens on oligodendrocyte function and myelination, finding that estrogen receptors on oligodendrocytes mediate rapid signaling pathways. Her extensive publication record highlights her contributions to the field of myelin research, with significant findings on myelin basic protein and glycosphingolipids in the nervous system.

Research Interests

Experience