Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section - Division of Intramural Research

 Susan   Wray  Ph.D., Senior Investigator

Dr. Wray received her B.A. degree from Middlebury College and her M.S, and Ph.D. degrees from University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry where she worked on development of neuroendocrine systems associated with puberty. She continued her work on neuroendocrine systems as a postdoctoral fellow with Harold Gainer in NICHD. In 1992 she became a faculty member of NINDS as a Unit Chief in the Laboratory of Neurochemistry and in 1999 became Chief of the newly created Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section. She is a council member of the International Society of Neuroendocrinology and a founding member of the American Neuroendocrine Society. Dr. Wray's laboratory is studying developmental cues underlying neuronal migration, and neurogenesis and regulation of neuroendocrine cells essential for reproduction.

Laboratory Staff

Claudia  Caligioni, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Filippo  Casoni, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Stephanie  Constantin, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Paolo  Forni, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Kimeya  Ghaderi,  Newcomb Fellow 
Ulrike  Klenke, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow 
Hillery  Metz,  Post baccalaureate Fellow 
Jean Tiong, Ph.D. Biologist  301-496- 8131

Research Interests

CDNS conducts fundamental research on neurogenesis of placodally derived neurons and regulation of neuroendocrine cells. Our focus is on development and regulation of LHRH neurons, which are neuroendocrine cells essential for reproduction. Alterations in normal development or regulation of the LHRH system results in reproductive dysfunctions. Developmentally, LHRH neurons originate outside the CNS, in the nasal placode, and thereafter migrate into the brain. Once within the brain, LHRH neurons become integral components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and exhibit pulses of LHRH secretion approximately once an hour in reproductively mature animals.

Selected Recent Publications

Giacobini P, Messina A, Wray S, Giampietro C, Crepaldi T, Carmeliet P, Fasolo A
Hepatocyte Growth Factor Acts as a Motogen and Guidance Signal for Gonadotropin Hormone Releasing Hormone-1 (GnRH-1) Neuronal Migration - J. Neuroscience    2007

Giacobini P, Wray S
Cholecystokinin Directly inhibits Neuronal Activity of Gonadotropin Releasing hormone cells (GnRH-1) through CCK-1R - Endocrinology    2007

Lee J, Maddox DM, Condie BG, Wray S
Accelerated migration of GnRH-1 neurons in GAD 67 knockout mice - J of Neuroendocrinology    2007

Cogliati T, Delgado-Romero P, Norwitz, ER, Guduric-Fuchs J, Kaiser UB, Wray S,Kirsch IR
Pubertal impairment in Nhlh2 "null" mice is associated with hypothalamic and pituitary deficiencies - Molecular Endocrinology     2007

Constantin S, Wray S
GnRH-1 Neuronal activity is independent of cyclic nucleotide gated channels - Endocrinology    2007

Toba Y, Tiong JD, Ma Q, Wray S
CXCR4/SDF-1 system modulates development of GnRH-1 neurons and the olfactory system - Development Neurobiology    2007

Selected Earlier Publications

Contact Information

Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section, NINDS Porter Neuroscience Research Center  Building 35, Room 3A-1012  35 Convent Drive, MSC 3703 Bethesda MD  20892-3703

Telephone: 301-496- 6646 (office), 301- 496-8129 (laboratory), 301-496- 8578 (fax), Email: wrays@ninds.nih.gov