Marie-Claude Senut, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurology

Academic Appointments

• 2006-present: Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, Neurology

Postdoctoral Training

• 2002-2006: Research scientist, University of Michigan, Mental Behavioral Neuroscience Institute (Prof. Dan Goldman)
• 2001-1995: Research scientist, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Laboratory of Genetics (Prof. Fred H. Gage).
• 1995-1991: Visiting Scientist, University of California San Diego (Prof. Fred Gage).
• 1995-1990: Research Associate, French Institute of Health and Medical Research ( Paris, France).
• 1987-1990: Post-Doctoral Fellow, French Institute of Health and Medical Research ( Paris, France).

Education

• PhD, Molecular Biology and Cellular Developmental Biology, Université Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris VI, France, 1987
• Masters, Animal Biology, Université Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris VI, France, 1982
• B.S., Natural and Life Sciences, Université Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris VI, France, 1980.

Research Interests

My present research is driven by the increasing interest I have developed over the years for neuroplasticity and neurological disorders. It is primarily directed at understanding the mechanisms underlying neuronal dysfunction/degeneration and dissecting the molecular pathways essential to neural regeneration that need to be identified for the design of successful strategies of functional brain repair.

Current projects include the development of models of retinal ischemia in the zebrafish and the study of cytogenesis and neurogenesis in rodent models of cerebral ischemia.

Please visit my research website for more information.

Selected Publications

• SENUT M-C., TUSZYNSKI M.H., RAYMON H.K., SUHR S.T., LIOU N.S., JONES K.R., REICHARDT L.F., and GAGE F.H. (1995) Autologous grafts of cells genetically modified to express human NT3: regional differences in responsiveness of the adult rat central and peripheral systems. Exp. Neurol. 135: 36-55.
• SENUT M-C., FISHER L.J., RAY J., and GAGE F.H. (1995) Somatic gene therapy in the brain. In “ Methods in Cell Transplantation”. Landers R.G. Ed. CRC Press and the Mosby Year Book, 197-214.
• SENUT M-C., SUHR, S.T., and GAGE F.H. (1996) Intracerebral xenotransplantation: sertoli cells to the rescue? Nat. Biotech. 14: 1650-1651.
• SENUT M-C., SUHR S.T., and GAGE F.H. (1996) Transplantation of genetically modified non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system. In: “ Genetic Manipulation of the Nervous System”, S. Lord and D. Latchman Eds, Academic press, 181-202.
• SNYDER E.Y., and SENUT M-C. (1997) The use of non-neuronal cells for gene delivery. Neurobiol. Dis. 4: 69-102.
• SENUT M-C., SUHR S.T., and GAGE F.H. (1998) Gene transfer to the rodent placenta in situ: a new strategy for delivering gene products to the fetus. J. Clin. Invest. 101: 1565-1571.
• SUHR S.T., GIL E., SENUT M-C., and GAGE F.H. (1998) High level transactivation by a modified Bombyx ecdysone receptor in mammalian cells without exogenous retinoid X receptor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95:7999-8004.
• SENUT M-C., AUBERT I., HORNER P.J., and GAGE F.H. (1998) Gene transfer for adult CNS regeneration and aging. In: “ Gene Transfer and Therapy for Neurologic Disorders”, E.A. Chiocca and X.O. Breakefield Eds., Humana Press Inc, pp. 345-375.
• SENUT M-C., and GAGE F.H. (1999) Prenatal gene therapy: can the technical hurdles be overcome? Mol. Med. Today 5: 152-156.
• SENUT M-C., SUHR S.T., KASPAR B., and GAGE F.H. (2000) Intraneuronal aggregate formation and cell death following viral expression of expanded polyglutamine tract in the adult rat brain. J. Neurosci. 20: 219-229.
• SUHR S.T., SENUT M-C., WHITELEGGE J.P., FAULL K.F., CUIZON D.B., and GAGE F.H. (2001) Identities of sequestered proteins in aggregates from cells with induced polyglutamine expression . J. Cell Biol. 153: 283-294.
• SENUT M-C., GULATI-LEEKHA A, and GOLDMAN D. (2004) An element in the a1-tubulin promoter is required for expression following optic nerve regeneration in the adult zebrafish visual system. J. Neurosci. 24: 7663-7673.
• SENUT M-C ., FAUSETT B., VELDMAN M., and GOLDMAN D. (2006) Gene regulation during axon and tissue regeneration in the retina of the zebrafish. In: “ Model Organisms in Spinal Cord Regeneration”, A. Sendtko Ed., Wiley-VCH (in press).