Jay Parrish, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Biology
Research Affiliate, Center on Human Development and Disability
jzp2@uw.edu
206-685-1203
Box 351800
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195

Dr. Parrish uses genetic, cell-biological, and genomic analyses to study maintenance of dendritic coverage using the Drosophila peripheral nervous system as a model system. Although dendrite arborization patterns are a hallmark of neuronal type, how neurons first establish and later maintain dendrite coverage of their receptive field remains largely unknown. Furthermore, morphological defects in neuronal dendrites have proven to be correlated with intellectual disabilities and are associated with numerous diseases of cognition, including Down syndrome, Rett syndrome, fragile-X syndrome, Angleman syndrome, and autism spectrum disorders. In Down syndrome, dendrites of cortical neurons progressively retract after a short period of normal development in infants.

Parrish and his group combine genetic screens and expression profiling of isolated neurons to identify genes that are required for dendrite maintenance, and for genes that are required for the progressive restriction of structural plasticity in developing neurons. Another area of research involves identifying substrate-derived signals that are required to support growth of sensory dendrites and ensure that sensory dendrite growth occurs in synchrony with organism growth.

Jay Parrish Dept. of Biology web page

Jay Parrish's Neuroscience web page

CHDD Outlook 2012 Issue#5-A Fruit 'Flyful' Line of Research Looks at Genetic Causes of Intellectual Disabilities

University of Washington • Center on Human Development and Disability Box 357920 • Seattle WA 98195-7920 USA • 206-543-7701 •chdd@uw.edu