Thomas L. Schwarz, Ph.D.
Professor of Neurology & Neurobiology
Harvard Medical School
F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology
Boston Children's Hospital
** Note: Erlanger-Gasser Lecture will begin at 3:00 pm **
“Mitochondrial Dynamics for mRNA Transport and Neuronal Survival”
Thomas L. Schwarz, Ph.D.
The Schwarz Lab works at the intersection of neuroscience and cell biology. In the last decade, the mechanisms of axonal transport and the dynamics of mitochondria have become primary areas of interest and combine fundamental cell biology with insight into the etiology and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Our approach has been to use whatever system is most pertinent to the scientific question, from Drosophila genetics to rodent neurons, to patient-derived iPSCs. We combine advanced imaging methods, molecular biology, genetics, and pharmacology to reach our goal of a mechanistic understanding. One current focus is on neurodegenerative mechanisms and, in particular, how defects in mitochondrial transport and clearance contribute to neuropathology in Parkinson’s Disease and ALS. These studies complement our other projects on synapse formation and the cell biological processes that allow a growth cone to transform into a functional synaptic bouton.