Research Interests
The Corfas Laboratory is interested in understanding the roles that interactions between neurons and glia-the two fundamental cell types of the nervous system-play in nervous system development, function, and maintenance and in defining the molecular signals that orchestrate these interactions. To this end, we employ molecular and cellular biological techniques as well as genetically modified mice. Using these tools and approaches, the Corfas Laboratory has contributed to the understanding of the function of several types of glia, including oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells, astrocytes, Bergmann glia, and supporting cells of the inner ear, as well as the identification of key signaling pathways that mediate the interactions between these glia and their associated neurons. The lab has also found how dysfunction of neuron-glia communication contributes to disorders of the nervous system, including cognitive disorders, hearing loss, vestibular dysfunction, pain and sensation, and more. We are also using the molecular insights to discover and develop drugs to treat nervous system disorders.