FOR MORE INFORMATION:
DAWN RUDE, administrative assistant, Academic Affairs
(218) 299-4541
AMY KELLY, College Communications and Media Relations director
(218) 299-3642
CENTENNIAL SCHOLARS LECTURE
Dr. Jason Askvig, assistant professor of biology, was the recipient of a 2016-17 Centennial Scholars Individual Research grant and will present a lecture, “Protein Levels of the P13K Signaling Molecule in the Supraoptic Nucleus of the Hypothalamus: Implications for Axonal Sprouting,” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, in Morrie Jones Conference Center A-B, Knutson Campus Center.
It has been demonstrated that a young brain can overcome injury through a process called axonal sprouting while a mature brain has reduced ability for reorganization following an injury. In studies it appears there are age-related changes that preclude an older rat from recovering following injury.
When a brain is injured, uninjured axons from the supraoptic nucleus (SON) go through collateral axonal sprouting in a 35-day-old rat, but not in a 125-day-old rat. Askvig studied protein levels of a specific enzyme (P13K) in the SON of both ages of rats. He found that the observed change in the enzyme’s protein levels in the SON with age may contribute to an environment that prevents the collateral axonal sprouting in the SON of an older rat.
The lecture is free and open to the public.
-30-
(kk)
17-003