Home Department: Biology
Mentor: Tony Wyss-Coray, Neurology & Neurological Sciences

“Identifying the Mechanism of Oligodendrocyte Rejuvenation Following Exposure to Young Cerebrospinal Fluid”

Oligodendrocytes provide support and insulation to axons in the central nervous system, making them essential for proper cognitive function, which declines with aging. The Wyss-Coray lab’s work has revealed that transfusing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of younger mice into older mice has beneficial effects on the proliferation and differentiation of oligodendrocytes. Saket’s research will study the underlying mechanisms of this effect through a bioinformatics approach, in an attempt to identify potent protein candidates in CSF which could potentially be used to develop therapeutics that target cognitive decline related to age and neurodegenerative diseases.