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Research Seminar - Candidate for Canada Research Chair Tier 2 tenure-track position in Biomedical Genomic Engineering

Posting Date(s)
Date
Location
287N, Learning Commons, AVC

The Application Review Committee invites members of the campus community to attend a research seminar by Dr. Jay Penney, candidate for the Canada Research Chair Tier II tenure-track position in Biomedical Genomic Engineering. 

Dr. Jay Penney completed his PhD in the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine (McGill University). Currently, Dr. Penney is a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Scientist at the laboratory of Dr. Li-Huei Tsai (MIT).     

Research Seminar Title: Modeling neurodegeneration-associated TREM2 mutations in human induced pluripotent stem cell models
Date/Time: Thursday, April 28, 3:30-4:30 pm
Location: 287N, Learning Commons, AVC

Abstract:

Recent GWAS (genome-wide association studies) have identified many microglial genes as risk factors for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. While microglia, the brain’s innate immune cells, carry out multiple potentially disease modifying functions, the exact alterations that modify risk for neurodegenerative disease remain uncertain. Among these microglial risk genes is TREM2 (Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2), with distinct TREM2 mutations being associated with different neurodegenerative diseases. My work has utilized induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models, CRISPR gene editing and xenotransplantation experiments to understand the cellular and molecular effects of these disease-associated mutations on human microglia. This work has uncovered both shared and distinct effects of the mutations on microglial gene expression, phagocytic capacity, cytokine release, movement and response to neuronal injury, among other functions. These findings identify microglial functions altered by TREM2 mutations that likely underlie their associations with disease, in particular highlighting a pro-inflammatory effect of TREM2 R47H mutations associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

The research seminar will be recorded and made available after the session. Those who are unable to attend and are interested in the recording may contact mlsteele@upei.ca.