The Graduate Program in Neuroscience

Faculty Profile
Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom, MD
Professor NCB; Pediatrics BA 1973 Princeton University MD 1977 Cornell University Postdoctoral Training 1977 - 1980 Cornell University
UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology RWJ-SPH Room 362, 683 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (732) 235-5381 FAX: (732) 235-4990 diciccem@umdnj.edu
Research Interests		Research Techniques
Cellular and molecular regulation of neurogenesis in vivo and in culture		Neural precursor cell culture Plasmid and antisense lipofection of primary neurons Northern and in situ hybridization Immunocyto/histochemistry Embryonic and postnatal growth factor injection Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry, western and CDK kinase assays DNA synthesis and apoptosis assays Time-lapse morphometry.
Research Summary
A diversity of neuronal populations comprise the central and peripheral nervous systems. We are investigating molecular signals and mechanisms regulating the generation of neurons from mitotic precursors in culture and in vivo. We have focused on several aspects of neurogenesis at the cellular, molecular, and organismic levels. Specifically, we have defined the relationship of proliferation to neuronal differentiation, the roles of mitogenic and trophic signals in mitosis, the diverse effects of the neuropeptide PACAP in peripheral and central neurogenesis, the role of cyclin-dependent kinases and inhibitors in mitotic withdrawal of precursors, and the long term effects of in vivo growth factor treatment on precursor mitosis and neuronal population size in developing and mature animals.

Key References
For complete list: PubMed Suh, J., Lu, N., Nicot, A., Tatsuno, I. and DiCicco-Bloom, E. (2001) PACAP is an anti-mitogenic signal in developing cerebral cortex. Nature Neuroscience, 4:123-24. Cheng, Y., Tao, Y., Black, I.B., and DiCicco-Bloom, E. (2001) A single peripheral injection of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) stimulates granule cell production and increases cerebellar growth in new born rats. J Neurobiol. 46:220-229. Nicot, A and DiCicco-Bloom, E. (2001) Regulation of neuroblast mitosis is determined by PACAP receptor isoform expression. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 98:4758-4763. Cheng, T., Black, I.B. and DiCicco-Bloom, E. (2002) Hippocampal granule neuron production and population size are regulated by levels of bFGF. Eur. J. Neurosci. 15:3-12. Carey, R.G., Li, B. and DiCicco-Bloom, E. (2002) Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide anti-mitogenic signaling in cerebral cortical progenitors is regulated by p57Kip2-dependent CDK2 activity. J. Neurosci. 22:1583-1591. Nicot, A, Lelièvre, V, Tam, J, Waschek, J.A. and DiCicco-Bloom, E. (2002) Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) and Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) Interact to Control Cerebellar Granule Precursor Cell Proliferation. J Neurosci 22:9244-54. DiCicco-Bloom, E., Lelièvre, V., Zhou, X., Rodriguez, W., Tam, J., and Waschek, JA. (2004) Embryonic expression and multi-functional actions of the natriuretic peptides and receptors in the developing nervous system. Dev Biol. 271:161-75. Nicot, A, Otto, T, Brabet, P, and DiCicco-Bloom, E.. (2004) Altered social behavior in pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) type I receptor deficient mice. J Neurosci. 24:8786-8795.