Washington University in St. Louis (WU)
Axonal degeneration as well as the soma degeneration is a component of many neurological diseases. Through studies of Nmnat transgenic mice which has axonal protective phenotype after injury, we found that enzymatic activity of Nmnat is essential to delay axonal degeneration both in-vitro and in-vivo. I am interested in the molecular mechanism of axonal protection/degeneration and try to find a way to delay axon degeneration in various neurological diseases.