Professor Veronica Ann Campbell

Summary

Funding Agency

Health Research Board

Person Months

36

Summary

The aim of this project is to examine the role of cannabinoid pathways in the control of bone and cartilage development.

Funding Agency

Science Foundation Ireland

Programme

Research Frontiers

Person Months

24

Summary

This interdisciplinary project aims to identify the optimal conditions for inducing differentiation of adult mesenchymal stem cells along the osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages. The study will identify the signal transduction pathways involved in these processes.

Funding Agency

Health Research Board

Programme

Basic Research Grant

Person Months

36

Summary

Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug of abuse in Ireland, particularly amongst the 14-16 year old age group. ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive ingredient of marijuana and this project is concerned with furthering our understanding of the impact of THC on the brain.

Funding Agency

Science Foundation Ireland

Programme

Basic Research Grant

Person Months

36

Summary

Alzheimer's disease is a devastating neurodegenerative condition which is associated with cognitive decline and neuronal loss. A neuropathological hallmark of this disease is the deposition of ß-amyloid (Aß) protein around neurons, and Aß is thought to contribute to the disease process by inducing neuronal cell death. We have identified that Aß increases intracellular Ca2+ concentration in cortical neurons (MacManus et al., 2000), leading to activation of Ca2+-dependent proteases and subsequent cell death (Boland et al., 2003). Understanding how Aß influences intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis is one of our key research questions given that dysregulation of this ion provides the basis for the "calcium hypothesis of neurodegeneration". Lysosomes are relatively understudied organelles that serve as reservoirs for Ca2+. Our recent work has demonstrated that Aß impacts on the lysosomal system, causing lysosomes to become leaky and release lysosomal proteases which then contribute to the cell death cascade (Boland et al., 2004). Events which cause the lysosomal membrane to become leaky are likely to promote the release of lysosomal Ca2+, as well as proteolytic enzymes, and contribute to the increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration which is associated with many forms of cell death. We are currently attempting to examine the influence of Aß on lysosomal Ca2+ homeostasis since this may contribute to the induction of apoptosis that we observe following exposure of neurons to Aß in vitro .

Funding Agency

Enterprise Ireland

Programme

Basic Research Grant

Person Months

36