Department of Chemistry
Fuel your curiosity and absorb knowledge in OU’s Department of Chemistry. Interact with world-class faculty. Bond with like-minded peers.
The Department of Chemistry offers a full curriculum in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Environmental Science, with an emphasis on advancing chemical education and research. Research participation at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral level is a distinctive part of the Department's activity.
The department is housed in the Mathematics and Science Center (MSC) with advanced research and teaching laboratory facilities equipped with modern instrumentation.
Transcript
00:02 Sarah Denha, Ph.D. Student Department of Chemistry
00:07 The Research: SpinoCerebellar Ataxia Type five is a rare neurodegenerative disease that causes neuron degeneration in the cerebellum.
00:16 It causes uncoordinated body movements, slurred speech and abnormal eye movements.
00:24 The Focus: Researchers like Sarah and Dr. Avery are focused on understanding how mutations in a protein called β-III-spectrin lead to the development of the disease.
00:36 The Science: To study this disease, Avery’s Lab uses fruit flies as a model to understand the impact of β-III-spectrin mutations on the dendritic arborization of neurons.
00:45 Dendritic arborization is a process by which neurons create new synapses vital to healthy brain activity and function.
00:55 Healthy neuron, diseased neuron.
01:02 The Goal: Researchers hope to discover the mechanism by how these mutations cause the disease so they can create treatments and eventually cure the disease.
Department of Chemistry
146 Library Drive
Rochester, , MI 48309-4479
(location map)
(248) 370-2320
fax: 370-2321