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Life and death of neurons is subject of Tuesday 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., Tuesday 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. Johnson said these factors have the potential to be therapeutic agents in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.

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 is studying the biochemical and genetic mechanisms of this cell death and examining pharmacological approaches to preventing nerve-cell death in neurological diseases.

For more information, see the June 19 Daily Newsbulletin or contact Rajan Gupta of 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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