Dr. Mable Lam

Biography

Mable Lam is an Instructor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University. She completed her PhD at the University of California, San Francisco, where she investigated cell biology and biochemistry in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Walter. Her research focuses on the identification of membrane trafficking pathways involved in the formation of myelin, the insulating membrane sheath that surrounds axons and accelerates conduction velocity. In her current work, she aims to elucidate the cellular pathways that drive myelin remodeling and regeneration, particularly in the context of demyelinating diseases. She utilizes transgenic mouse models and primary oligodendrocytes to study the mechanisms that regulate adaptive myelination, the process by which oligodendrocytes respond to neural activity by adding new myelin sheaths or adjusting existing ones to tune neural circuitry. Her research has revealed that SNARE-mediated exocytosis is crucial for the membrane addition to myelin sheaths, contributing to a better understanding of neuroplasticity and myelin regeneration.

Research Interests