	Joseph Gleeson, MD Professor, Neurogenetics Laboratory - Dept. Neurosciences and Pediatrics Secondary Appointments: Senior Staff, Rady Children Hospital; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Leichtag Building, Room 482, University of California, San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla, CA 92093-0665 office tel: 858-822-2856 lab tel: 858-822-3538 Fax: 858-246-0436 Email: jogleeson@ucsd.edu Lab Website: http://www.cbd.ucsd.edu
CV
Research Title
Molecular basis of human neurological disorders
Research Description
The major area of emphasis in my laboratory is the study of the genetic and cell biological basis of human brain development. We start our studies with analysis of disorders of human development, including epileptic disorders, mental retardation, and abnormalities in brain structure. We work to identify one or more genes that is mutated in each of these conditions. The identification of such genes provides tremendous insight, because it informs us about the role of the gene in the human brain. Once a gene for a particular condition has been identified, we work with cell biological and genetic tools to identify the role of the gene in basic neurobiological processes. We have been focusing on two major conditions that are important cause of disease in humans. The first is disordered neuronal migration. Neurons that populate the cerebral cortex are not born within the gray matter, but instead they are born along the lining of the lateral ventricle. These young neurons then migrate great distances to achieve proper positioning within the correct lamina of the developing cortex. When this is disrupted, cortical gyri and sulci are malformed and the cortex is improperly laminated. We work on the doublecortin family of genes, encoding novel microtubule-associated proteins, to understand their role in brain development. When mutated, doublecortin gives rise to human lissencephaly, consisting of a smooth brain. We are currently focused on understanding the role of this gene family in migration, in establishing cell polarity, and in organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton. The other condition of focus in the lab is congenital ataxia, where humans are born with severe balance disturbances and malformations of the cerebellum. We work on the most common of these disorders known as Joubert syndrome where the midline of the cerebellum (known as the vermis) is completely absent. We have identified the first genes for this condition, which encode novel proteins. There is evidence to suggest that in this condition the major axonal tracts fail to form properly, suggesting that the genes also play important roles in axonal guidance. We are currently studying the molecular basis of Joubert syndrome, identifying additional Jouberin genes, and working to understand the role of these genes in brain development.
Recent Publications
Dixon-Salazar TJ, Gleeson JG. Genetic regulation of human brain development: lessons from Mendelian diseases. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010 Dec;1214:156-67. Cantagrel V, Lefeber DJ, Ng BG, Guan Z, Silhavy JL, Bielas SL, Lehle L, Hombauer H, Adamowicz M, Swiezewska E, De Brouwer AP, Blümel P, Sykut-Cegielska J, Houliston S, Swistun D, Ali BR, Dobyns WB, Babovic-Vuksanovic D, van Bokhoven H, Wevers RA, Raetz CR, Freeze HH, Morava E, Al-Gazali L, Gleeson JG. SRD5A3 is required for converting polyprenol to dolichol and is mutated in a congenital glycosylation disorder. Cell. 2010 Jul 23;142(2):203-17. Valente EM, Logan CV, Mougou-Zerelli S, Lee JH, Silhavy JL, Brancati F, Iannicelli M, Travaglini L, Romani S, Illi B, Adams M, Szymanska K, Mazzotta A, Lee JE, Tolentino JC, Swistun D, Salpietro CD, Fede C, Gabriel S, Russ C, Cibulskis K, Sougnez C, Hildebrandt F, Otto EA, Held S, Diplas BH, Davis EE, Mikula M, Strom CM, Ben-Zeev B, Lev D, Sagie TL, Michelson M, Yaron Y, Krause A, Boltshauser E, Elkhartoufi N, Roume J, Shalev S, Munnich A, Saunier S, Inglehearn C, Saad A, Alkindy A, Thomas S, Vekemans M, Dallapiccola B, Katsanis N, Johnson CA, Attié-Bitach T, Gleeson JG. Mutations in TMEM216 perturb ciliogenesis and cause Joubert, Meckel and related syndromes. Nat Genet. 2010 Jul;42(7):619-25. Kim J, Lee JE, Heynen-Genel S, Suyama E, Ono K, Lee K, Ideker T, Aza-Blanc P, Gleeson JG. Functional genomic screen for modulators of ciliogenesis and cilium length. Nature. 2010 Apr 15;464(7291):1048-51 Koizumi H, Higginbotham H, Poon T, Tanaka T, Brinkman BC, Gleeson JG. Doublecortin maintains bipolar shape and nuclear translocation during migration in the adult forebrain. Nat Neurosci. 2006 Jun;9(6):779-86. Valente EM, Silhavy JL, Brancati F, Barrano G, Krishnaswami SR, Castori M, Lancaster MA, Boltshauser E, Boccone L, Al-Gazali L, Fazzi E, Signorini S, Louie CM, Bellacchio E, Bertini E, Dallapiccola B, Gleeson JG. Mutations in CEP290, which encodes a centrosomal protein, cause pleiotropic forms of Joubert syndrome. Nat Genet. 2006 Jun;38(6):623-5. Koizumi H, Tanaka T, Gleeson JG. Doublecortin-like kinase functions with doublecortin to mediate fiber tract decussation and neuronal migration. Neuron. 2006 Jan 5;49(1):55-66. Tsai LH, Gleeson JG. Nucleokinesis in neuronal migration. Neuron. 2005 May 5;46(3):383-8. Review. Tanaka T, Serneo FF, Tseng HC, Kulkarni AB, Tsai LH, Gleeson JG. Cdk5 phosphorylation of doublecortin ser297 regulates its effect on neuronal migration. Neuron. 2004 Jan 22;41(2):215-27.