Summary of current research

Although historically understudied compared to neurons, glial cells are critical regulators of every major aspect of nervous system biology. We can no longer afford to ignore half of the brain if we wish to understand nervous system development, function, and disease. A mechanistic understanding of how glia perform their myriad essential roles remains elusive. Using Drosophila and zebrafish as a discovery platform coupled with synergistic approaches in mouse, we are exploring pressing questions in glial cell biology: How do glia acquire the complex morphologies that enable their functions? What molecules are used for proper axon-glial, glial-glial, and glial-vasculature communication? How do glia use these mechanisms to control neural circuit function and ultimately animal behavior? Illuminating the mechanisms by which glia talk to neurons and control their function will bring us much closer to a true understanding of how the brain works.