Doris Doudet, University of British Columbia
Medicine
Professor
Vancouver, British Columbia
ddoudet@interchange.ubc.ca
Office:
(604) 822-7163
Expert In
Bio/Research
My main interest resides in understanding the role and function of the monoaminergic systems, with particular emphasis on dopamine (DA). My lab uses a variety of techniques to that effect.
For a number of years, I have taken advantage of the possibility to use positron emission tomograph...
Click to Expand >>
For a number of years, I have taken advantage of the possibility to use positron emission tomograph...
Click to Expand >>
Bio/Research
My main interest resides in understanding the role and function of the monoaminergic systems, with particular emphasis on dopamine (DA). My lab uses a variety of techniques to that effect.
For a number of years, I have taken advantage of the possibility to use positron emission tomography (PET) to study in vivo, longitudinally, compensatory changes in the DA system induced by aging, lesion of the DA nigro-striatal system as in Parkinson's Disease (PD) or drugs of abuse in primates. These studies are performed in collaboration with the UBC/TRIUMF PET program and use a n umber of radioactive tracers specific for DA but also serotonin and opiates. Current projects are directed to the evaluation of new scanning methods as well as of experimental therapies for PD, especially to follow over time the effect of transplants of human retinal pigmented epithelial (hRPE) cells in a model of PD. This type of transplant is very new and little is known about the potential of these cells.
The second main aspect of my lab is to pursue in rodents investigation of some of the findings that we found by PET in human and non-human primates. Thus, a part of my lab is focused in studying the mechanism of action of the hRPE cells transplant in a 6-OHDA model of PD in rats, using behavior, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy and more recently, in vivo MRI cell labeling methods. Another project is to study the effects and mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT/ECS), a very effective treatment for depression as well as some of the symptoms of parkinsonism.
The methodologies employed cover both behavioral assessment, binding assays using autoradiographic techniques with a phosphor imaging device, microdialysis in collaboration with Tony Phillips' lab and identification of neurotrophic factors in collaboration with Wolf Tetzlaff's lab. In addition, we have started using in vivo methods in the rat using a new tomograph for rodents (microPET R4).
Click to Shrink <<
For a number of years, I have taken advantage of the possibility to use positron emission tomography (PET) to study in vivo, longitudinally, compensatory changes in the DA system induced by aging, lesion of the DA nigro-striatal system as in Parkinson's Disease (PD) or drugs of abuse in primates. These studies are performed in collaboration with the UBC/TRIUMF PET program and use a n umber of radioactive tracers specific for DA but also serotonin and opiates. Current projects are directed to the evaluation of new scanning methods as well as of experimental therapies for PD, especially to follow over time the effect of transplants of human retinal pigmented epithelial (hRPE) cells in a model of PD. This type of transplant is very new and little is known about the potential of these cells.
The second main aspect of my lab is to pursue in rodents investigation of some of the findings that we found by PET in human and non-human primates. Thus, a part of my lab is focused in studying the mechanism of action of the hRPE cells transplant in a 6-OHDA model of PD in rats, using behavior, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy and more recently, in vivo MRI cell labeling methods. Another project is to study the effects and mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT/ECS), a very effective treatment for depression as well as some of the symptoms of parkinsonism.
The methodologies employed cover both behavioral assessment, binding assays using autoradiographic techniques with a phosphor imaging device, microdialysis in collaboration with Tony Phillips' lab and identification of neurotrophic factors in collaboration with Wolf Tetzlaff's lab. In addition, we have started using in vivo methods in the rat using a new tomograph for rodents (microPET R4).
Click to Shrink <<