Members of H.L. Atwood Lab

Leo Marin

B.Sc. McGill University, Canada;
M.Sc., Ph.D. University of Toronto, Canada;
Involved in all projects requiring electron microscopy in the lab.
In charge of microscopes.
Instruction on electron microscopy, light and fluorescence microscopy,
confocal microscopy.
(joined the laboratory in 1981)

Marianne Hegström-Wojtowicz

Lab Coordinator and Technician:
Microelectrode construction.
Immunostaining.
Animal maintenance.
Ordering and supplies.
Manuscript preparation.
(joined the laboratory in 1980)

Balaji Iyengar

B.Sc. Madras University, India
M.Sc. University of Bombay, India
Ph.D. McMaster University, Canada
Studying motor pattern generation in Drosophila larvae,
discovering neurons in the larval CNS that affect locomotory behaviour,
and electrical characterization of the larval heart.
(joined the laboratory in 2003)
Recent publication:
Hassan, J., Iyengar, B., Scantlebury, N., Rodriguez Moncalvo, V., and Campos, A.R. (2005)
Photic input pathways that mediate the Drosophila larval response to
light and circadian rhythmicity are developmentally related but
functionally distinct. Journal of Comparative Neurology 481: 266-75.

Markus Klose

B.Sc. University of Guelph
M.Sc. Brock University
Ph.D. Queen's University, Canada
Studying the role of mitochondria in thermotolerance of synaptic function.
(joined the laboratory in 2005)
Recent publication:
Klose, M.K., Chu, D., Xiao, C., Seroude, L., and Robertson, R.M. (2005)
Heat shock-mediated thermoprotection of larval locomotion compromised by ubiquitous
overexpression of Hsp70 in Drosophila melanogaster. Journal of Neurophysiology 94: 3563-72.

Una Cheung

B.Sc., M.Sc. University of Toronto, Canada;
Currently, part-time research assistant; investigating structural and physiological changes
at synapses with alteration of gene expression if Drosophila.
(joined the laboratory in 1994)
Recent publication:
Cheung, U., Shayan, A.J., Boulianne, G.L., and Atwood, H.L. (1999)
Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction's responses to reduction of cAMP
in the nervous system. Journal of Neurobiology 40: 1-13.

Jeff Dason

B.Sc. University of Toronto, Canada
M.Sc. York University, Toronto, Canada
Pursuing a Ph.D. examining physiological consequences of molecular alteration
of frequenin expression at the neuromuscular junction.
(joined the laboratory in 2003)
Recent publication:
Romero-Pozuelo, J., Dason, J.S., Atwood, H.L., and Ferrús, A. (2005)
Effects of altered levels of two frequenin genes on synaptic transmission at the
Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction. (manuscript in preparation).

Maulik Vora

B.Sc. McMaster University.
Pursuing a M.Sc. on calcium signals in nerve terminals
related to synaptic performance.
(joined the laboratory in 2004)

Jennifer Chou

B.Sc. McGill University.
Pursuing a M.Sc. on structure of neurons
in the central nervous system.
(joined the laboratory in 2005)

Recent graduates:
Ken Dawson-Scully, Ph.D. (2003). "The role of cysteine string proteins at the neuromuscular junction in Drosophila".
Martha Bajec, M.Sc.( 2002). "Consequences of altered frequenin expression at arthropod neuromuscular junctions".
Shanker Karunanithi, Ph.D., Post-doctoral fellow and Research Associate; Currently Assistant Professor, University of Arizona (2004).

General: Our laboratory concentrates on physiology and ultrastructure of synapses, including genetic and environmental influences. Our laboratory is closely associated with several others at the University of Toronto (those of Milton Charlton, John MacDonald, and John Roder, and Gabrielle Boulianne). These laboratories form part of the newly established Research Group in Synapses, funded by CIHR (Canadian Institutes for Health Research), the successor of the Medical Research Council of Canada Research Group in Nerve Cells and Synapses. Harold Atwood and Martin Wojtowicz share common laboratory facilities and have complementary scientific interest in synaptic transmission. Trainees from the different laboratories are free to interact and to use the research facilities in several locations. A shared facility is the confocal microscope and other imaging equipment, used in both teaching and research.

At any one time, our laboratory has 1 to 3 post-doctoral fellows and 2-4 graduate students, plus visiting scientists and undergraduate student research assistants. Over the years, we have trained 34 post-doctoral fellows or visiting faculty members, 29 M.Sc. students, and 16 Ph.D. students. Many of these now occupy faculty or administrative positions at universities in Canada and several other countries, including the United States, Australia, England, France, Austria, and Sweden.

Information on Positions in the Laboratory

No new graduate students are being accepted, as the laboratory will cease operations in July, 2007.

(a) Summer students:

Summer student research assistant: We usually employ 1 or 2 undergraduate students for summer research. They work on aspects of ongoing research in the laboratory. Some students have been successful in getting NSERC or University of Toronto summer awards. We often interview interested students early in the New Year (January or February) for these positions.

(b) Work-study students:

Work-Study position: Each year, we usually can employ an undergraduate student in the Work-Study program. This program allows the student to be paid for working up to 12 hours per week in the laboratory. The student works as a research assistant under direction of another laboratory member. The position is advertised through the University of Toronto's Work-Study program, and a student is selected in September.

CURRENT AND RECENT SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATORS
Dr. Atwood's laboratory collaborates with the following researchers at the University of Toronto:: Dr. J.M. Wojtowicz (University of Toronto, Department of Physiology); on neurogenesis in adult mammalian brain, synaptic plasticity; mathematical aspects of synaptic transmission; long term potentiation of transmission in mammalian brain slice preparations.; Dr. Milton Charlton (University of Toronto, Department of Physiology) on physiological analysis of synaptic transmission.; Dr. Gabrielle Boulianne (Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Department of Medical Genetics) on neural mutants of Drosophila.; Dr. Marla Sokolowski (University of Toronto, Erindale Campus, Biology Group) on genetic and environmental factors affecting locomotion in Drosophila.; Dr. Ian Meinertzhagen (Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia) on structural features of synapses.; Dr. Konrad Zinsmaier (University of Arizona) on synaptic vesicle proteins and synaptic transmission.; Dr. Mel Robertson (Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario) on temperature changes and heat shock proteins in synaptic transmission.; Dr. Robin Cooper (University of Kentucky) on synaptic transmission in crustaceans.; Dr. Shanker Karunanithi (University of Arizona) on heat shock proteins in synaptic transmission.; Dr. Robert S. Zucker (University of California at Berkeley) on calcium sensitivity and cyclic AMP influences in synaptic transmission.