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The laboratory of Lisa Boulanger focuses on the role of immune proteins in neuronal connectivity and brain development. They study how major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins enable T cells to identify and destroy infected or cancerous cells. Contrary to the longstanding belief that neurons are immune privileged due to a lack of MHC class expression, recent findings have shown that healthy neurons actually express these molecules and that their expression is dynamically regulated by electrical activity during both development and adulthood. The lab's primary goal is to delineate the neuronal functions of MHC, along with the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in MHC signaling to neurons. Research methodologies include single-cell patch clamp and field electrophysiology, protein biochemistry, molecular genetics, behavioral analysis, and advanced imaging techniques. They focus on the implications of MHC class expression in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, with long-term goals of contributing to the understanding and treatment of neurological diseases, including autism and Parkinson’s disease.
GRE scores are not accepted. Ph.D. is the primary degree; students are not required to hold an M.S.E. prior to admission.