Martha Bohn, PhD
Medical Research Institute Council Professor
Director of the Neurobiology Program
Children's Memorial Research Center
Research Interests:
The Bohn lab is developing gene and stem cell therapies in rodent models of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Recent studies have focused on the neurotrophic factor, glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) which the group has shown slows the progression of dopamine neuron loss in rat models of PD. This gene therapy is now being developed as a clinical trial for PD. Studies of viral vector mediated gene silencing are also underway in an aim to target expression of alpha-synuclein, a gene linked to familiar forms of Parkinson’s disease. In addition, the lab is generating neuroprogenitor-like cells and neurospheres from rat and mouse bone marrow and determining whether this interesting source of stem cells can be developed as a novel therapy for PD. Viral vectors harboring neurotrophic factors are also being made for studies aimed at reversing aging of dopamine neurons in rat hypothalamus. The experimental approaches in the lab are multi-faceted and employ techniques ranging from making viral vectors to behavioral testing.
Selected Publications:
Glavaski-Joksimovic, A.*, Virag, T.*, Chang, Q., West, N., Mangatu, T., McGrogan, M., Dugich-Djordjevic, M. and Bohn, MC. (2009). Reversal of dopaminergic degeneration in a Parkinsonian rat following micrografting of human bone marrow-derived neural progenitors. Cell Transplantation, in press.
Ebert, A. D., Hann, H. J. and Bohn, M. C. (2008). Progressive degeneration of dopamine neurons in 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinson's disease does not involve activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. J Neurosci Res 86, 317-25.
Sapru, M. K., Yates, J. W., Hogan, S., Jiang, L., Halter, J. and Bohn, M. C. (2006). Silencing of human alpha-synuclein in vitro and in rat brain using lentiviral-mediated RNAi. Exp Neurol 198, 382-90.
Connor, B., Kozlowski, D. A., Schallert, T., Tillerson, J. L., Davidson, B. L. and Bohn, M. C. (1999). Differential effects of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the striatum and substantia nigra of the aged Parkinsonian rat. Gene Ther 6, 1936-51.
Choi-Lundberg, D.L., Lin, Q. Chang, Y.-N., Chiang, Y. L., Hay, C. M., Mohajeri, H., Davidson,B.L. and Bohn, M.C. (1997). GDNF gene therapy protects dopaminergic neurons from degeneration in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. Science 275, 838-841.
