Page 25 - IBRO_RNA School_Abstract Book

Restoration Hardware

Anindya Ghosh-Roy

National Brain Research Centre, Gurgaon, Haryana, India

Traumatic injury in the nervous system leads to devastating consequences such as
paralysis. The regenerative capacity of the nervous system is limited in adulthood.
Using the finely focused lasers of the 2-photon microscope, we can sever the neurons
in the transparent nematode C. elegans. We are studying the molecular basis of axon
regrowth and addressing the functional consequences of regeneration using behavioral

assays. We have discovered that a self-fusion of injured proximal and distal end leads
to rapid functional repair. We have also shown that ability to regenerate declines with
age and it is overcome by loss of conserved let-7 miRNA. We further found that proper
targeting and synapse formation of an injured axon is controlled by Insulin signaling (IIS).

I will try to discuss the broader implications and future directions that we got from
this study. Overall, our work helps inform therapeutic strategies for the treatment of
nervous system injuries in humans.