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Life and death of neurons is subject of next Director's Colloquium

The mechanism that regulates the life and death of a neuron is the subject of Director's Colloquium at 1:10 p.m., on June 24 in the Physics Building Auditorium at Technical Area 3.

The program is open to all badge holders and will be broadcast on Labnet Channel 9. It also can be accessed via the Internet using Real Media software.

Eugene Johnson of Washington University in St. Louis will discuss two major families of neurotrophic factors and how neurons need access to them for survival. He believes these factors have the potential to be therapeutic agents in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.

Neurotrophic factors also maintain a cell's protein synthesis rate, glucose uptake and neurotransmitter synthesis. They might be expected to prevent the death of nerve cells in the disease and enhance the function of remaining cells in the population, Johnson said.

Johnson is renowned for his research on the death of nervous-system cells during normal development and disease. Johnson's research also has explained how nervous-system cells die without sufficient amounts of neurotrophic factors. His team continues to study the biochemical and genetic mechanisms of this cell death and to examine pharmacological approaches to preventing nerve-cell death in neurological diseases.

Johnson earned a bachelor's degree in pharmacy in 1966 and a doctoral degree in medicinal chemistry in 1970, both from the University of Maryland. He has been a faculty member at Washington University School of Medicine since 1976.

He also serves on the Medical and Scientific Council of the Alzheimer's Association and the advisory council of the National Institute on Aging.

For more information, contact Rajan Gupta in Elementary Particles and Field Theory (T-8) at 7-7664 or write to rg@lanl.gov by electronic mail.

Additional information on Director's Colloquiums can be obtained at http://stb.lanl.gov/program/colloquium.shtml online.

-- Michael Carlson

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