The laboratory of Dr. Jennifer Morgan studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which neurons communicate with each other at synapses, a process called synaptic transmission. We study mechanisms of normal synaptic transmission, as well as how neurotransmission is impacted by spinal cord injury and disease. One ongoing project involves identifying how synapses are deleteriously affected by Parkinson's disease, and we are currently developing strategies to slow or reverse disease-associated synaptic dysfunction. Another project is focused on understanding how neurotransmission can be restored after spinal cord injury by regenerative processes, such as axon and synapse regrowth, or other forms of neural plasticity. Ultimately, we want to understand how these regenerative processes contribute to restoring normal behaviors after injury and how to improve functional outcomes.
For these projects, we use sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) as our model organism. Lampreys are cyclostomes, which are the most basal extant group of vertebrates. Lampreys possess a subset of very large neurons that can be identified across animals, the giant reticulospinal (RS) neurons, which provides several advantages for our studies. First, as the name indicates, these RS neurons are giant! They have especially large axons (20-80 microns) and synapses (1-2 microns), which are easily an order of magnitude larger than in most vertebrate models. Second, these giant neurons are experimentally tractable and amenable to molecular manipulations both in the normal and regenerating state. To approach our questions, we utilize a variety of technical approaches including, candidate gene and transcriptome analyses, molecular perturbations, biochemistry, fluorescence imaging, histology, electron microscopy, electrophysiology, and behavior.
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Postdoc - Cell Biology
2005
Duke University
Durham, NC
Ph.D. - Neurobiology
2001
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
BS - Biology
1995
Synapsin condensation is governed by sequence-encoded molecular grammars.
Synapsin condensation is governed by sequence-encoded molecular grammars. bioRxiv. 2024 Oct 20.
PMID: 39131319
Excess phosphoserine-129 a-synuclein induces synaptic vesicle trafficking and declustering defects at a vertebrate synapse.
Excess phosphoserine-129 a-synuclein induces synaptic vesicle trafficking and declustering defects at a vertebrate synapse. Mol Biol Cell. 2024 Jan 01; 35(1):ar10.
PMID: 37991902
Editorial: Regeneration from cells to limbs: past, present, and future.
Editorial: Regeneration from cells to limbs: past, present, and future. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2023; 11:1229613.
PMID: 37389352
Lampreys and spinal cord regeneration: "a very special claim on the interest of zoologists," 1830s-present.
Lampreys and spinal cord regeneration: "a very special claim on the interest of zoologists," 1830s-present. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2023; 11:1113961.
PMID: 37228651
Proprioceptive feedback amplification restores effective locomotion in a neuromechanical model of lampreys with spinal injuries.
Proprioceptive feedback amplification restores effective locomotion in a neuromechanical model of lampreys with spinal injuries. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 03 14; 120(11):e2213302120.
PMID: 36897980
Activating Transcription Factor 3 (ATF3) is a Highly Conserved Pro-regenerative Transcription Factor in the Vertebrate Nervous System.
Activating Transcription Factor 3 (ATF3) is a Highly Conserved Pro-regenerative Transcription Factor in the Vertebrate Nervous System. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022; 10:824036.
PMID: 35350379
Synuclein Regulates Synaptic Vesicle Clustering and Docking at a Vertebrate Synapse.
Synuclein Regulates Synaptic Vesicle Clustering and Docking at a Vertebrate Synapse. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021; 9:774650.
PMID: 34901020
Swimming kinematics and performance of spinal transected lampreys with different levels of axon regeneration.
Swimming kinematics and performance of spinal transected lampreys with different levels of axon regeneration. J Exp Biol. 2021 11 01; 224(21).
PMID: 34632494
Resilience of neural networks for locomotion.
Resilience of neural networks for locomotion. J Physiol. 2021 08; 599(16):3825-3840.
PMID: 34187088
Effects of Excess Brain-Derived Human a-Synuclein on Synaptic Vesicle Trafficking.
Effects of Excess Brain-Derived Human a-Synuclein on Synaptic Vesicle Trafficking. Front Neurosci. 2021; 15:639414.
PMID: 33613189
National Academy of Sciences Fellow
Kavli Frontiers of Science
2014
Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award
University of Texas
2012
Janett Trubatch Career Development Award
Society for Neuroscience
2011
Grass Fellowship in Neuroscience
Grass Foundation
2003