GOKCE LAB
Systems Neuroscience – Cell Diversity
GOKCE LAB
Genomics exploration of white matter and multitasking MIF in aging and disease.
We are a diverse team developing quantitative single-cell genomics methods to understand age related brain disorders such as stroke, multiple sclerosis and neurodegeneration.
Long before the first signs of neurodegeneration, the white matter volume in brain start to decrease. White matter is composed of mostly myelinated axons that connect neurons from different brain regions. We aim to identify which cellular responses cause loss of white matter volume and increase the risk of neurodegeneration. One factor involved in to white matter senescence is macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) which is a multitasking protein acting as a nuclease and chemokine. For these goals, we develop and combine enabling technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), Spatial Transcriptomics (ST), Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM), and machine learning.