Timothy W. Chapman

Neurons in the central nervous system are supported by a group of myelinating glial cells, oligodendrocytes, which facilitate saltatory conduction and neuronal circuitry. These cells and the myelin sheaths they produce are readily disrupted in aging and disease leading to axonal pathology and cognitive decline. My research combines longitudinal in-vivo imaging in mouse models with cutting edge optical ablation techniques to induce cell death in oligodendrocytes and identify the molecular mechanisms that regulate myelin degeneration.