NEURO
HOME PAGE FACULTY COURSES RESEARCH
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KECK
GRANT (Neuroscience
and the Humanities)
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Lauren B. French,
Assistant Professor of Biology
Mailing Address:
Biology Dept., Allegheny College
Meadville PA 16335.
Phone: 814-332-3306
Fax: 814-332-2789
E-mail: lfrench@allegheny.edu
Office: Biology 313
Lauren's
Home Page
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The best way to describe my research interests in general terms is
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience. I am interested in exploring what
makes individual neurons unique from one another, and how they "talk"
to each other to transmit information in the nervous system. More specifically,
I look at how the molecular structure of ion channels and receptors
relates to their functions electrophysiologically. I do this by studying
the genes that code for ion channels and receptors, as well as injecting
the genes into Xenopus laevis oocytes (frog eggs) to examine their electrical
"personalities". There are two major types of research projects
going on in my lab.
The first are cloning projects, such as to clone a dopamine receptor
from the spiny lobster genome (the lobster is a great model system for
studying neural networks- and mighty tasty too). After such a gene sequence
is determined, then the protein can be characterized (e.g. in oocytes,
or by mapping the expression of the gene in neurons).
The second project involves the oocyte expression system. There is
a genus of hunting snails whose venom is very complex and potent, acting
solely on the prey's nervous system. I would like to screen some of
the components of the venom to see what kinds of ion channels or receptors
they block.
