Differential regulation of protein synthesis in synaptic plasticity and autism spectrum disorders with associated intellectual disability

Emily is a cellular neuroscientist interested in understanding how neurons use de novo protein synthesis to alter the strength of individual synapses. Her work is focused on isolating specific mRNAs that are newly translated in response to synaptic stimulation, in part using newly developed TRAP and RNA-seq technologies. She also investigates the interplay between the ERK and mTOR signalling pathways, which function in translation control. Emily's goal is to understand how the synthesis of new proteins supports both the strengthening and weakening of synapses, and how this goes awry in autism-linked neurodevelopmental disorders.