Martha Bagnallمشاهده پروفایل
دانشیار
- Neuroscience
- Neural Circuits
- Postural Control
- +۵ مورد دیگر
Martha Bagnall, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Her research focuses on neural circuits involved in postural control and motor coordination, primarily using zebrafish as a model organism. She leads the Bagnall Lab, which investigates how sensory information about orientation and movement drives appropriate body movements to adjust posture. Education: PhD in Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego (2002-2008) BS in Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT (1996-2000) Dr. Bagnall's research centers on understanding how the brain processes vestibular information to maintain posture and coordinate movement. Her lab studies the vestibulospinal system of larval zebrafish to determine how sensory signals about head orientation are mapped onto spinal circuitry to drive appropriate behaviors. A key area of investigation is how locomotor planning influences vestibular circuits, with particular interest in cerebellar input to vestibular neurons. Her work takes advantage of the transparency of larval zebrafish to dynamically observe neural development and function. Analysis of Dr. Bagnall's recent publications reveals a strong focus on spinal interneuron diversity and connectivity in motor control. Her research has systematically mapped how different spinal neuron types (V1, V2b, etc.) connect with motor and sensory targets to coordinate locomotion at different speeds. There is a clear progression from basic circuit mapping to understanding how developmental processes shape these circuits, with recent work exploring clonal relationships and Notch signaling in spinal neuron differentiation. Her work bridges fundamental neuroscience with potential applications for understanding vestibular pathologies in humans. Scientific Awards: McKnight Scholar Award (2017) Pew Scholar (2016) Sloan Award (2016) K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, NIDCD, NIH (2012) NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2004-2007) Dr. Bagnall has secured significant research funding, including a $1.9 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to map neuronal connections in the zebrafish spinal cord. This represents her second R01 grant as a principal investigator. Her research employs a multidisciplinary approach combining electrophysiology, imaging, genetic manipulation, optogenetics, and behavioral analysis. The lab's work on V1 neurons revealed that these inhibitory interneurons form location-dependent connections - interfacing with motor neurons near their cell bodies while synapsing on sensory cells further up the spinal cord. The Bagnall Lab is part of the Neurogenetics & Transcriptomics and Axon Injury & Repair research groups at Washington University. Her team collaborates with the Solnica-Krezel lab to investigate later onset of vestibular dysfunction, taking advantage of large-scale genetic screens to identify gene candidates involved in neurodegeneration. The lab's research has demonstrated high homology between the vestibulospinal postural system of fish and mammals, suggesting translational relevance of their findings.
