The Rodal Lab  at Brandeis University

CV here

Mentoring statement here

​​​

arodal@brandeis.edu

I study the unique ways that neuronal synapses utilize the endocytic machinery. Despite decades of study, we still know very little about how synapses organize the proteins that control endocytosis in space and time. To answer this question, I perform live and super-resolution microscopy of the endocytic machinery at the fruit fly neuromuscular junction, and I develop new quantitative tools to analyze these data. To understand the mechanisms that control these proteins, I also study the interactions and activities of purified proteins and membranes in vitro. With these approaches, we are discovering that synapses control the endocytic machinery in ways that are quite distinct from non-neuronal cell types. 

 

sdelsignore@brandeis.edu

My research is focused on the trafficking of endosomally-derived extracellular vesicles and their cargoes within an intact nervous system, using the Drosophila neuromuscular junction as a model. Extracellular vesicles are small membrane-bound vesicles released by cells that can transport physiological cargoes between cells for communication, dispose of unwanted cellular materials, and even spread pathological components between cells in disease. I’m working to understand how in neurons endosomal cargoes get sorted for release in extracellular vesicles, and how released neuronal extracellular vesicles are targeted to and/or taken up by recipient cells to exert their physiological and pathological functions. 

​

cblanchette@brandeis.edu

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles released from the endosome system. Exosomes are involved in cell-to-cell communication and can also facilitate the spread of pathogenic proteins in neurodegenerative diseases.  It is not fully understood how exosomes are formed in neurons; thus, I am investigating neuronal endosome dynamics (such as maturation, fusion, and trafficking) and how these dynamics affect cargo function and exosome release from the neuron.  Using the Drosophila NMJ as my model system, I am using a variety of genetic manipulations and imaging techniques to investigate endosome dynamics and exosome release.

​

edresselhaus@brandeis.edu

I'm interested in how periactive zone (PAZ) proteins are trafficked and organized at synaptic terminals. The PAZ is enriched with endocytic proteins that coordinate membrane remodeling, synaptic vesicle recycling, and signaling. I use a combination of super-resolution imaging, electrophysiology, and genetics to investigate these processes. My research focuses on two powerful Drosophila model systems—the neuromuscular junction and the circadian plasticity of small ventrolateral neurons (sLNvs)—to uncover how PAZ architecture is established during synaptic development and remodeled over time.

​

kmdlg@brandeis.edu 

Neuronal extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound compartments that contain various nucleic acid, protein, and lipid cargoes implicated in both physiological and pathological processes. Despite their importance, the mechanisms underlying neuronal EV trafficking remain poorly understood. I'm interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms and protein-lipid interactions that regulate EV cargo flux through the recycling pathway, with a particular focus on the roles of Rab GTPases and phosphoinositide kinases in regulating EV trafficking. To address these questions, I use established model EV cargoes at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ), genetically encoded biosensors, and a combination of live-cell and super-resolution microscopy. 

​

ericgomez@brandeis.edu

Dozens of endocytic proteins are highly enriched in neurons to facilitate clathrin-mediated endocytosis and other types of membrane trafficking. I’m seeking to understand the processes by which endocytic protein levels are established and maintained at synapses, and how changes to one protein’s expression or regulation affects other proteins in the CME network. In particular, I am currently focusing on the mechanisms by which intersectin influences the presence of other key endocytic proteins at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction.

​

laurawesthoff@brandeis.edu

Extracellular vesicles are small, membrane bound compartments that carry a variety of cargos implicated in cellular signaling pathways and disease. It remains understudied how neuronal trafficking pathways, including the endosomal system, impact the fates of these cargos. I am therefore interested in how the recycling endosome regulates the flux of extracellular vesicles in neurons. In particular, I will be focusing on characterizing the key recycling endosome protein Rab11 in Drosophila neuromuscular junctions.

​

emmamartin@brandeis.edu

Cells often compartmentalize through membrane-enclosed structures, many of which are integral to membrane trafficking. However, macromolecules can also undergo phase separation and form spatiotemporally dynamic biomolecular condensates. These condensates can organize multivalent proteins and their interactions, creating localized biochemical environments that influence the assembly and activity of molecular machinery. I’m interested in using approaches spanning biochemistry and cell biology to understand the molecular organization and function of endocytic periactive zone proteins, and how their interactions may shape their enrichment and activity in Drosophila neurons.

​

jmolfino@brandeis.edu

My project focuses on how neurons control extracellular vesicle cargo trafficking, or EV cargo trafficking. Extracellular vesicles are tiny membrane-bound particles that cells release to communicate with each other. They carry proteins, lipids, and RNA, allowing cells to exchange information over short and long distances. In the nervous system, EV cargo trafficking is especially important for communication between neurons and surrounding cells. When this process is disrupted, it has been linked to several neurological diseases. However, we still do not fully understand how neurons select cargo for EVs or how this process is regulated inside the cell. To study this, I use the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction, which is the site where a neuron connects to a muscle in fruit fly larvae. More specifically, my project focuses on a protein called MICAL-like. Studies in mammalian systems have shown that its homolog, MICAL-L1, is an important regulator of recycling endosomes. Using the powerful genetic tools available in Drosophila, I aim to investigate the role of MICAL-like in neuronal EV cargo trafficking.

​

gleidiasauli@brandeis.edu