Daniel Marenda, Ph.D.

Co-Director of the Cell Imaging Center; Assistant Professor

Office: PISB 421
Phone: (215) 895-2526
Email: daniel.marenda@drexel.edu
Lab: PISB 410 B2
Lab Phone: (215) 895-5877
Website: The Marenda Lab

Specialization: Our lab focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie neurogenesis, neural development, and behavior.

Education

B.S., Loyola University Chicago
Ph.D., Syracuse University
Post-Doc, Emory University School of Medicine

Research Interests

Understanding how the nervous system and brain of higher animals function is one of the most fascinating and mysterious questions in biology. Understanding the complex organization of the neurons within the brain requires the proper understanding of which genes control the development, morphology, and connectivity of these neurons. It also requires an understanding of which behaviors and functions these neurons control in the organism. To address these questions, we utilize the fruit flyDrosophila melanogaster as a model organism. We exploit the powerful genetic and cell biological techniques Drosophila possess to model how genes regulate neurogenesis and neural development in the central nervous system in the fly. Many of the genes we study are associated with human disease, and our has created novel models for CHARGE syndrome, FRAXE Fragile X syndrome, Pitt-Hopkins, and Alzheimer's disease in the fly. We employ genetic and molecular biology techniques, histology, cell biology, behavior, and several types of microscopy (confocal, fluorescent, SEM) to address these questions.

Publications

Chakraborty R, Vepuri V, Mhatre SD, Michelson SJ, Delvadia R, Desai A, Miller S, Vinokur M, Melicharek DJ, Ansaloni S, Moir RD, Lee JC, Saunders AJ, and Marenda DR. (2011) Characterization of a Drosophila Alzheimer’s Disease Model: Pharmacological Rescue of Cognitive Defects. PLoS ONE.
Curtis BJ, Zraly CB, Marenda DR, Dingwall AK. (2011). Histone lysine demethylases function as co-repressors of SWI/SNF remodeling activities during Drosophila wing development. Developmental Biology (In Press)
Melicharek D, Ramirez LC, Singh S, Thompson R, and Marenda DR. (2010) Kismet/CHD7 regulates axon morphology, memory, and locomotion in a Drosophila model of CHARGE Syndrome. Human Molecular Genetics 19(21): 4253-4264 (Cover Article)
Majumdar N, Paez GL, Inamdar SM, D'Rozario M, and Marenda DR. (2010) MAP Kinase phosphorylation is dispensable for cell division, but required for cell growth in Drosophila. Fly 4:3 204-212
Melicharek D, Shah A, DiStefano G, Gangemi AJ, Orapallo A, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, and Marenda DR (2008) Identification of novel regulators of atonal expression in the developing Drosophila retina. Genetics 180: 2095-2110
Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Majumdar N, Middleton G, Cooke EM, and Marenda DR (2007) Delta and Egfr expression are regulated by Importin-7/Moleskin in Drosophila wing development. Developmental Biololgy 308: 534-546
Marenda DR, Vrailas AD, Rodrigues AB, Cook S, Powers MA, Lorenzen JA, Perkins LA, and Moses K. (2006) MAP kinase subcellular localization controls both pattern and proliferation in the developing Drosophilawing. Development 133: 43-51
Vrailas AD, Marenda DR, Cook S, Powers MA, Lorenzen JA, Perkins LA, and Moses K (2006) smoothened and thickveins regulate Moleskin/Importin-7 mediated MAP Kinase signaling in the developing Drosophila eye.Development 133: 1485-1494
Marenda DR, Zraly CB, and Dingwall AK (2004) The Drosophila Brahma (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complex exhibits cell-type specific activation and repression functions. Developmental Biology 267: 279-293
Marenda DR, Zraly CB, Feng Y, Egan S, and Dingwall AK (2003) The Drosophila SNR1 (SNF5/INI1) subunit directs essential developmental functions of the Brahma chromatin remodeling complex. Molecular and Cellular Biology 23: 289-305