Neurogenetics

We investigate the causes, treatments, natural history, and phenotypic spectrum of inherited neurologic disorders. Our studies range from describing novel inherited neurologic syndromes (such as Spastic Ataxia/Mental Retardation syndrome); to family studies including genetic mapping (eg. identifying loci for hereditary spastic paraplegia, paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis, and X-linked mental retardation-epilepsy); discovering genes for neurologic diseases (eg. SPG3A/atlastin and SPG6/NIPA1 gene mutations cause HSP; MR1 gene mutations case PDC); and the creation and analysis of laboratory animals of neurologic disease.

Personnel:

John K. Fink, M.D. ( jkfink@umich.edu ), Professor, Department of Neurology, Director, Neurogenetic Disorders Program'

Shirley Rainier, Ph.D. ( srainier@umich.edu ) Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology

Joan Mathay, R.N. ( jmathay@umich.edu ) Clinical Nurse, Department of Neurology; Lynette Girbach B.A. Secretary, Department of Neurology

Lei Ming, M.D., Research Associate, Department of Neurology

Rosemary Lemons, B.S. ( rmlemons@umich.edu ), Research Associate, Department of Neurology