I am a PhD canditate in UBC's Neuroscience Program (www.interchg.ubc.ca/neurosci). I did my BSc (Hons) in Neuroscience at the University of Sheffield, U.K.

My PhD project is concerned with using the mouse olfactory system as a model in which to study the role of the caspase family of protease enzymes in neuronal cell death.
Neuronal cell death is not only a key event that must occur to ensure the normal development of the central nervous system (CNS), but it is also an event that can be catastrophic when it occurs inappropriately. Inappropriate neurodegeneration and cell death can occur as a result of stroke or trauma, or a number of debilitating diseases such as Huntington's Disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

The olfactory neuroepithelium is a readily accessible part of the nervous system in which we can monitor key events controlling neuronal degeneration and regeneration. In my studies I am investigating the molecular events leading to the activation of caspases during stage-specific apoptosis in mature olfactory receptor neurons, both in vivo following olfactory bulbectomy, and in vitro in the OP6 cell line. I am exploring ways to interrupt the cell death program (and thus prevent neuronal loss) by both pharmacological and molecular approaches. I am also studying the role of caspases in developmental apoptosis in the olfactory system, using caspase-deficient transgenic mice.

Contact Cath at ccowan@cmmt.ubc.ca