Mary Halloran

Professor, Department Chair

608-263-7875

Integrative Biology Research Building and Noland Hall

Research

Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Molecular Biology, Neurobiology

Our research is aimed at understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate axon growth, branching and pathfinding during development of neuronal morphology and circuit connections. We are particularly interested in the processes of axonal transport of organelles and vesicular cargo, and regulation of the neuronal cytoskeleton. Because of their complex and highly polarized morphology, neurons are especially dependent on high fidelity axonal transport/cargo trafficking. Many neurodegenerative diseases have defects in the machinery of cargo transport. We use zebrafish as a model system, which allows us to image these dynamic processes in live, developing embryos.

A black and white microscopy image of a neuronal network that looks like a tunnel with lots of thin string-like branches extending below it. — Developing sensory neuron network in zebrafish embryo.

A flouresced microscopy image of sensory neurons, with a thick green band that has small stringy branches coming off of it and a large blob of pink with smaller branches intermixed in and crossing the green branches. — Zebrafish embryonic sensory neurons (green) with mitochondria (magenta) labeled in one neuron.

Education

Ph.D., Neuroscience, UW-Madison, 1994

B.S., Molecular Biology and Zoology, UW-Madison, 1983