Department of Neurology
Yale University School of Medicine
P.O. Box 208018
New Haven, CT 06520-8018

Office: 203-785-4878
Lab: 203-785-5030
Fax: 203-785-5098

email: stephen.strittmatter@yale.edu

Training:
1990-1991 Clinical and Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School,Mass. General Hospital
1987-1990 Resident in Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital
1986-1987 Intern in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital
1980-1986 Ph.D. Johns Hopkins University (Pharmacology)
1980-1986 M.D. Johns Hopkins University
1976-1980 A.B. Harvard College (Biochemistry)

Expertise:
Axon Guidance
Axon Regeneration
Spinal Cord Injury
Molecular Biology
Stroke
Neurodegenerative Disease

Research Interests:
Axonal growth to appropriate synaptic targets is essential for development and for injury repair. We are focused on the molecular basis of axonal extension in three specific areas.
1. Axon Guidance during development
Through expression cloning, mutagenesis, biochemical studies and live cell imaging, we seek to fully characterize those proteins which we have identified as playing a role in Semaphorin signaling: neuropilin, plexin, CRMP, rac, MICAL, SEMCAP, Intersection and RanBPM. We are defining how a Semaphorin receptor complex functions. We have also identified Neogenin as a receptor for another guidance factor, RGM. The importance of this system in vivo for axon guidance and for cell proliferation is now under study.
2. Axon growth in the adult CNS
We have identified the myelin-derived inhibitory protein, Nogo, and an axonal Nogo Receptor, as inhibitors of axonal regeneration after injury. We are exploring the in vivo functions of this system using gene knockout, transgenic and cell biological approaches. A related aim is to develop blockers of this system using structural and mutagenesis methods. Such antagonists are examined for regenerative efficacy in the treatment of CNS injury, including spinal cord trauma and stroke.
3. Genomics to identify genes induced during successful adult PNS regeneration
We are now studying a number of genes induced in peripheral neurons during successful nerve regeneration to determine their mechanism of action and their potential use in promoting regeneration of the CNS after injury.

Selected Publications:
Rajagopalan S, Deitinghoff L, Davis D, Conrad S, Skutella T, Chédotal A, Mueller BK, Strittmatter SM. Neogenin Mediates the Action of Repulsive Guidance Molecule. Nature Cell Biol. (2004) published online July 18.

Lee JL, Kim JE, Sivula M, Strittmatter SM. Nogo Receptor Antagonism Promotes Stroke Recovery By Enhancing Axonal Plasticity. J. Neurosci. 24:6209-6217 (2004).

Kim JE, Li S, GrandPré T, Qiu D, Strittmatter SM. Axon Regeneration in Young Adult Mice Lacking Nogo-A/B. Neuron, 38, 187-199 (2003).

GrandPre T, Li S, Strittmatter SM. Nogo-66 Receptor Antagonist Peptide Promotes Axonal Regeneration, Nature 417: 547-551 (2002).

Fournier A, GrandPre T, Strittmatter SM. Identification of a neuronal receptor mediating Nogo-66 inhibition of axonal regeneration. Nature 409:341-346 (2001).

Grandpre T, Nakamura F, Vartanian T, Strittmatter SM. Identification of the Nogo inhibitor of axon regeneration as a Reticulon protein. Nature, 403: 439-444 (2000).