Principal Investigator

Jimena Sierralta

Graduate Students

Carlos Oliva Olave:
PhD candidate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine.

The molecules and signaling networks involved in the process of acquisition and maintenance of the form of a mature neuron are not completely known. My approach is to use the Gal4/UAS system, and perform gain and loss of function genetic screenings in well characterized brain circuits, to discover new regulators involved in any aspect of neuronal morphogenesis. Once I find an interesting molecule, whose alteration produces an impaired morphology, the next step is to determine which pathways are involved in its function through genetic interaction experiments. Using the above approach I found that the transcription Hindsight (HNT) regulates axon guidance in the photoreceptors cells (R-cells). Currently I am using genomics techniques to identify genes that are regulated for HNT, during the axon dev elopment.

César Astorga:
PhD student Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine

Claudia Molina:
Graduate thesis Ms Program in Genetics, Faculty of Medicine

Undergraduate Students

Héctor Pacheco Fuentes:
Veterinary Medicine bachelor of  Universidad de Chile.

I’m doing my thesis to opt to the Veterinary Medicine professional degree at Jimena Sierralta’s laboratory.
REST is a protein which represses neuronal genes in non-neuronal tissues. To do this function, it recruits two co repressor complexes, including CoREST, which could be very important to make its function possible. My research is about studying morphologic changes in Drosophila melanogaster wing post inhibition of CoREST protein synthesis, using interference RNA (iRNA) against mRNA of CoREST during the embryogenesis process, through crosses between parental lines of Drosophila with Gal4-UAS system to direct the changes specifically to the wing tissue. I will observe macroscopically altered wing patterns, and also measure and quantify the possible changes.

Pía Escobedo:
Undergraduate thesis, Biochemistry, Universidad de Valparaíso.

Ronald Pérez:
Undergraduate thesis, Medical Technology, Faculty of Medicine

Technicians Fly Room

Pablo Vélis
Fabián Yañez

General Lab Assistants

Angélica Figueroa
Fernando Vergara
Inés Contreras

More:  Past members