STH - E6 Dr. Carmen Melendez-Vasquez

Scientist the Human Podcast

Dr. Carmen Melendez-Vasquez is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Hunter College of the City University of New York. Her research focuses on actomyosin regulation and the mechanism of myelin formation. Actomyosin is a protein complex crucial for cell motility and contractile force in muscle and other tissues. Myelin is a highly specialized membrane, which wraps around nerve fibers in the peripheral (PNS) and central (CNS) nervous systems, facilitating rapid propogation of nerve impulses. The overall goal of Dr. Melendez-Vasquez's research is to provide novel insights into the mechanisms that regulate myelin morphology and formation in the PNS and CNS. She believes that a basic understanding of the molecular machinery of myelination should aid in the development of new therapeutic strategies to promote remyelination in pathological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), which we discuss in this episode. Visit her lab page for more information: Melendez-Vasquez Lab