Matthew N. Rasband, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Neuroscience
Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology
Dr. Rasband was nominated for his his groundbreaking work on the molecular organization
of axons, especially the structure, function, and assembly of nodes of Ranvier and
the axon initial segment. Nodes are essential for conduction of nerve impulses throughout
the nervous system, and their disruption contributes to the pathophysiology of many
disorders including multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathies, and other white
matter diseases. Dr. Rasband has dissected the molecular mechanisms and neuron-glia
interactions responsible for assembly and maintenance of these domains. Axon initial
segments are the site of action potential initiation. Dr. Rasband has shown how
these important excitable domains are assembled and maintained in the nervous system,
and how they are disrupted following disease or injury. Dr. Rasband’s recent work
has shown that they are disrupted in many nervous system diseases including traumatic
brain injury, stroke, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
Three of Dr. Rasband’s recent publications are of particular significance and form
the basis for his nomination to the Michael E. DeBakey, M.D. Excellence in Research
Award.
Susuki K, Raphael AR, Ogawa Y, Stankewich MC, Peles E, Talbot WS, and Rasband MN.
(2011)" Schwann
cell spectrins modulate peripheral myelination ". .” Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, USA 108:8009-14.
Galiano MR, Jha S, Ho TS, Zhang C, Ogawa Y, Chang KJ, Stankewich MC, Mohler PJ,
and Rasband MN. (2012) "
A distal axonal cytoskeleton forms an intra-axonal boundary that controls axon initial
segment assembly ". Cell 149:1125-1139
Susuki K, Chang KJ, Zollinger DR, Liu Y, Ogawa Y, Eshed-Eisenbach Y, Dours-Zimmermann
MT, Oses-Prieto J, Burlingame AL, Seidenbecher C, Zimmermann DR, Oohashi T, Peles
E, and Rasband MN. (2013)"
Three mechanisms assemble central nervous system nodes of Ranvier ". Neuron,
in press