We study the gene networks driving neuronal diversity during brainstem development to uncover why only specific subsets are differentially affected in a given human neurologic disease. The brainstem controls multiple critical motor and sensory functions,…
![BotaDSm[1]](https://inp.uci.edu/files/2020/12/BotaDSm1.jpeg)
Faculty Site
1. Understanding oncogenic metabolic pathways in glioma stem cells (GSC) and their role in glioma progression and response to treatment. My laboratory has identified significant differences in protein processing and degradation in GSC, which…
Research objectives are to understand the mechanisms mediating addictive disorders. Special interest is on how gut, genes, brain, and behavior interact with environment (e.g., developmental drug exposure) to influence addiction. Focus is placed on gut…
Dr. La Spada’s research is focused upon neurodegenerative disease and neurotherapeutics, and he is seeking the molecular events that underlie neurodegeneration and neuron cell death in spinal & bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), spinocerebellar ataxia type…
My research focus is the human choroid plexus. The choroid plexus is a secretory machine that makes the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), forms the blood-CSF barrier, detoxifies harmful agents, and gates CNS immune cells. As such,…
In my lab, we study degenerative brain diseases using a combination of neuro-imaging analysis, neuropsychological assessments, and neuro-pathology. We have a particular emphasis on degenerative brain diseases that come into differential diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease….
I have been interested in learning and memory, with a focus on aging since I was a graduate student in Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Toronto where I played a part in developing novel…