Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein (CPEB): a prion-like protein as a regulator of local protein synthesis and synaptic plasticity

1.INTRODUCTION With this paper I would like to describe you what is my research project here at Columbia and how I am trying to address the many questions underlying my project by working everyday in the lab. But before doing this I feel somehow obliged to give you an introduction on the basic concepts of neurobiology. Therefore we will start with a brief definition and description of what is a neuron, how neurons interact to form synapse and neural circuits, how synapse activity can be modified and finally how these changes in synaptic activity underlie high cognitive processes such as learning and memory. After providing you this, I hope not too boring introduction, I will go deeper into the molecular aspects of these phenomenon and I will illustrate you the main goal of my research, which is to characterize the role of a particular protein called Cytoplasmic Polyadenylation Element Binding protein with respect to the morphological and physiological changes that occur at the synapse after neuronal stimulation.