Emory University
School of Medicine
Department of Cell Biology
Department of Human Genetics
Welcome to The Das Lab
At the Interface of RNA Biology and Neuroscience
The goal of our laboratory is to understand the spatial and temporal control of gene expression in the brain and its dysregulation in neurological diseases
Our Research
mRNAs are the blueprints for proteins. It is crucial that mRNAs synthesize the right amount of proteins, at the right place and at the right time to drive cellular functions. How is this achieved? Our mission is to unravel the intricate mechanisms governing mRNA regulation and protein synthesis in the brain, shedding light on how these processes influence brain functions and underpins neurological disorders.
Through cutting-edge technologies including single-molecule imaging, knock-in and transgenic mouse models and optogenetics, we study the spatial and temporal dynamics of mRNAs and the different steps of gene expression, from transcription to translation in the brain.
Projects
How transcription dynamics of activity-regulated genes mediate long-lasting synaptic changes for memory formation and storage?
What are the mechanisms governing mRNA localization and local translation at synapses, and their dysregulation in neurological diseases?
Developing new tools and technologies for multiplexed detection of mRNAs and proteins to identify their molecular interactions in situ
