Department of Psychiatry Faculty

Eleni A. Markakis, PhD Assistant Professor of Psychiatry 300 George Street Suite 8107 New Haven, CT 06511 Tel: 203-785-4432 Fax: 203.785.5419 Email: eleni.markakis@yale.edu

Education

1987 AB Bryn Mawr College
1992 MA Bryn Mawr College
1996 PhD University of Southern California

Research Interest

Our laboratory studies adult-derived neural stem cells that have the potential to repair damage to the nervous system. Ongoing research aims to derive these cells from a patient's own nervous tissue make possible autologous tissue repair, eliminating the need for immune suppression, and potentially increasing graft survival. Harvesting, isolating, and propagating neural stem cells from potential autologous donor sites is a major focus of the work in the laboratory. We have isolated adult neural stem cells from several species. These progenitor cells are self-renewing and generate cells of all three neural lineages: neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Further characterization of the stem cell population, as well as the determination of the types of neurons and glial cells that can be differentiated from such "harvestable" sites is ongoing.

It is equally essential to determine the utility of these cells in the treatment of neurological disease. We are currently examining the potential of these cells to effect treatment for Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis in animal models. Collaborative, interdepartmental efforts to uncover the full potential of these cells are underway.

Areas of Expertise:

Neuroanatomy
Neural progenitor isolation

Publications of Note

Markakis EA and Redmond DE Jr. (2005) Know thyself: autologous cell transplantation strategies for brain repair. Exp Neurol. 96:6-8.

Markakis EA, Palmer TD, Randolph-Moore L, Rakic P, and Gage FH (2004) Novel neuronal phenotypes from neural progenitor cells. J Neurosci 24:2886-2897.

Markakis EA (2002) Development of the neuroendocrine hypothalamus. Front Neuroendocrinol 23:257-291.

Palmer TD, Markakis EA, Willhoite AR, Safar F, and Gage FH (1999) Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 activates a latent neurogenic program in neural stem cells from diverse regions of the adult CNS. J Neurosci 19:8487-8497.

Markakis EA and Gage FH (1999) Adult-generated neurons in the dentate gyrus send axonal projections to field CA 3 and are surrounded by synaptic vesicles. J Comp Neurol 406:449-460.

Copyright © . Yale University School of Medicine, Psychiatry Department. All rights reserved.
Comments or suggestions to the site editor.

Home URL: http://info.med.yale.edu/ysm