Official Title

Associate Professor
Faculty of Science and Engineering
（Global Center for Science and Engineering）

Examples of Classes Taught

Neuroscience, Introduction to Bioscience, Current topics in Bioscience

Research Fields

Neuroscience, Neuronal remodeling, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology

Research

The formation and maintenance of appropriate synaptic connections are essential to the normal functioning in the nervous system. Despite their importance our knowledge of how neurones generate complex morphologies via the arborisation/ branching of axons and dendrites and cell-cell interactions via synapses, synaptogenesis, our understanding of which particularly in the central nervous system remains very limited. These processes are highly dynamic, with branches and synapses gained and lost prior to the formation of more stable branches and synapses. We have pioneered and are particularly interested in local signaling mechanisms at a distance away from the cell body, such as in axons. A current focus of our research is attempting to understand how changes in the cellular cytoskeleton and membrane trafficking are coordinated to regulate axonal branch and synaptic growth. One potential mechanism is via the apoptotic pathway, which we have shown to be critical in mediating the chemotropic responses of growth cones in vitro and in restricting arborisation and synaptogenesis in vivo. Our current research is broadening out to include different mechanisms of membrane trafficking and to understand whether neuronal activity-independent processes during development share similar cellular and molecular mechanisms in response to physiological stimuli. To study these processes and their mechanisms, we are taking advantage of the optical clarity, genetics, subcellular in vivo imaging and established visual stimulation paradigms in zebrafish larvae to study neuronal remodelling and function in the visual system. Since the mechanisms underlying developmental neuronal remodelling may be similar or undergo abnormal signalling during axonal degeneration, our studies may not only reveal the fundamental principles governing cell morphogenesis and dynamics under normal physiology but also may additionally contribute to our understanding and potentially uncover novel therapeutic avenues to degenerative conditions.

Selected publications

1. Gaynes, J. A., Otsuna, H., Campbell, D. S., Manfredi, J. P., Levine, E. L. and Chien, C-B.
The RNA binding protein Igf2bp1 is required for zebrafish RGC axon outgrowth in vivo.
PLoS ONE. (2015)

2. *Campbell, D. S. and Okamoto, H.
Local caspase activation interacts with Slit-Robo signaling to restrict axonal arborization.
Journal of Cell Biology. 203:657-672. (2013)
* Corresponding author

3. Drinjakovic, J., Jung, H., Campbell, D. S., Strochlich, L. and Holt, C. E.
E3 ubiquitin ligase Nedd4 promotes axon branching by down-regulating PTEN.
Neuron. 65: 342-357. (2010)

4. Kwan, K. M., Fujimoto, E., Grabher, C., Mangum, B., Hardy, M. E., Campbell, D. S., Parant , J., Yost, H. J., Kanki, J. and Chien. C-B.
The Tol2kit: A Multisite Gateway-Based Construction Kitfor Tol2 Transposon Transgenesis Constructs.
Dev Dyn 236: 3088-3099. (2007)

5. * Campbell, D. S., Stringham, S. A., Timm, A., Xiao, T., Law, M-Y., Baier, H., Nonet, M.L. and *Chien, C-B.
Slit1a Inhibits Retinal Ganglion Cell Arborisation and Synaptogenesis Via Robo2-Dependent and –Independent Pathways.
Neuron 55: 231-245. (2007)
* Co-Corresponding author