斯坦福大学生命科学类科研

斯坦福大学生命科学类科研

Stanford University Biology Science Research

科研时间：

6月1日--9月1日，每期时间长度为3—4周；

（针对假期只有3周的学生，可选3周实地+1周远程，确保科研收获）

科研主题：

端粒酶/衰老/癌症/分子生物化学/细胞生物学（内容涵盖生物医学研究最新进展：包括基因编辑、诱导性干细胞、控制细胞诱导分化，癌症免疫疗法，器官3D打印技术等； 实际操作项目包括基因表达载体的设计，构建，运用生物信息学工具进行序列比对鉴定等）

面向对象：

欲以申请美国常青藤名校生命科学、生物技术、生物信息、医学统计、医学数学等生物医学类相关专业的本科生、研究生为主

科研简介：

本次科研项目是基于斯坦福大学生物医学类本校学生培养体系而精炼而来，旨在让学生对现代生物医学的概念和技术有一个全面而详尽的了解，并对生物医学研究的最前沿进展进行学习和讨论，并能够亲手参与科研设计。在科研中学生有机会接触到最新的生物医学技术及其在现实生活中的应用。

在科研完成后，学生将全面了解生物医学研究的整体流程和框架，并对现代生物医学技术有一个完整的认识，对学生以后选择未来的专业和人生规划提供帮助。

科研方向：

The long-term goal of our research is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie synapse function during behavior in the developing and mature brain, and how synapse function is altered during mental retardation. In this broad research area, we are specifically interested in the molecular underpinnings of activity-dependent regulation of synaptic strength, the role of postsynaptic protein translation in plastic changes of synaptic activity, and the impairment of synapses in autism spectrum disorders (e.g. Fragile X syndrome) that involves changes in postsynaptic protein translation and synaptic strength.

Some of our current research focuses include:

Synaptic signaling mechanisms of RA - dissecting the molecular pathways for synaptic RA signaling, understanding the role of RA in the mature brain in mediating homeostatic and potentially other forms of synaptic plasticity, and exploring the function of RA in animal learning and behavior.

We recently discovered a role of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) in regulating synapse formation and synaptic strength, which we identified during studies of homeostatic synaptic plasticity. We found that RA is a potent activator of synaptic strength in mature neurons. Neuronal synthesis of RA is regulated by activity. When neuronal activity is blocked, RA synthesis is strongly stimulated. When applied directly, RA is sufficient to rapidly increase synaptic strength. Moreover, when we blocked RA synthesis in neurons, we abolished the increase in synaptic strength induced by activity blockade. Taken together, these results reveal a central role of RA in mediating activity blockade-induced increases in synaptic strength, and suggest that in adult brain, RA functions as a novel diffusible messenger that regulates synaptic transmission.

How does the RA-dependent translational regulation intersect with other known mechanisms involved in dendritic protein synthesis and synaptic plasticity? We have recently found that the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP), an RNA-binding protein that regulates local protein translation in dendrites, is essential for increases in synaptic strength induced by RA or by neural activity blockade. Activity-dependent RA synthesis is maintained in Fmr1 knockout neurons, but RA-dependent activation of dendritic translation of AMPA-type glutamate receptors is impaired. Furthermore, we showed that the deficit in synaptic scaling in Fmr1 knockout neurons can be rescued by acute postsynaptic expression of FMRP, indicating that the role of FMRP is not developmental, but that it is part of the homeostatic synaptic machinery. Taken together, these findings identify an unexpected role for FMRP in regulating homeostatic synaptic plasticity downstream of RA. Our results raise the possibility that at least some of the symptoms of Fragile X syndrome, a form of mental retardation caused by loss of FMRP function, reflect impaired homeostatic plasticity and dysfunctional RA signaling, and suggest that modification of the RA-signaling pathway in homeostatic plasticity may be beneficial for treating this prevalent disorder.

科研亮点：

1. 进入美国名校实验室/科研组，接触尖端科学

为未来赴美深造做准备；科研经历是美国名校申请的基石，顶级名校的科研项目是对学生有能力完成名校学业最好的证明。

2. 师从导师开展实验项目

高层次的人脉和校友关系，与学生为伍的人是诺贝尔奖获得者、美国科学院院士、教授、名校博士、硕士，学生将体验到世界最顶级学术专家们的思想和气质。

3. 获得导师推荐信和科研证书

对于优秀学生可以获得名校导师的推荐信，大大助力未来的留学申请；

4. 全天候专业英语环境，迅速提升专业水平

提升沟通和专业英语水平，提升专业知识和能力，用实践使学生的理论知识更加具体形象。

5. 高含金量收获助力未来留学深造及就业

在名校导师指导下的科研过程将帮助学生明确自身发展方向，不断深化对于美国学界的了解与认同，帮助参与学生及家长明确未来的学校及专业申请方向；从而更好的明确留学的目的与意义，摆脱盲目，获得真知。

科研收获：

1.科研完成时，学生将会全面了解生命科学类基本知识和最新进展。

2.挑战自身潜能，切身体会斯坦福大学顶尖科研环境，在严苛的训练下快速成长。

3.极大拓宽视野，实地感受国内外科研区别。通过此次科研，参与学生将会对留学名校有个清晰的认识，并依此做出最优的人生规划。

4.学生将有机会与顶尖教授零距离交流套磁，了解斯坦福的内部申请信息。

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