Characterization of the intracellular regulation of metalloproteases involved in brain plasticity

Until the 1970s it was believed that after a period of heightened plasticity in early life, the brain was no longer able to change, however, after that, research on brain plasticity has gained enormous interest.

Brain plasticity takes many forms: from the refinement of neural circuits during postnatal development into functional units essential for successful information processing, to the encoding of brief experiences into long-lasting memories in the adult brain. Plasticity processes occur at the levels of gene expression and proteins, neuronal structure and function as well as network dynamics are finely regulated.

In this project, we aim to investigate the intracellular role of metalloproteases (MMPs) involved in brain plasticity regulation. MMPs are proteases secreted by the cells that are important for several aspects of cell migration, from digestion of the extracellular matrix, to the activation of signaling molecules and regulation of ligand-receptor interactions as well as for i