Our scientific interests
The Court lab is located in the Center for Integrative Biology at Universidad Mayor, in Santiago, Chile, with access to different laboratory models and behavioral tests, and state of the art facilities for microscopy and biochemical analysis.
We study the mechanisms of axonal degeneration and regeneration in the peripheral and central nervous systems, interested in the communication between glial cells and neurons, as well as tissular changes associated to the aging process. We are especially interested in defining subcellular processes taking place in the axonal compartment, including locally controlled regenerative and degenerative mechanisms.
Associated to axonal degeneration, we have defined the participation different steps of the process, and shown their impact in the degeneration of peripheral and central axons in relevant models of brain diseases, aging of the nervous system, as well as in peripheral neuropathies.
We are also investigating the capacity for glia to axon communication through the transfer of genetic material by extracellular vesicles in the context of axonal regeneration in the peripheral nervous system, and different phenotypes acquired by Schwann cells after injury induced cell reprogramming.
Funding
Present Projects
FONDAP
Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism
PI Felipe Court, Cesar Cárdenas
Universidad Mayor
(2020-2025)
Proyecto Internacional
Targeting necroptosis to inhibit early axonal degeneration in Parkinson’s disease
PI Felipe Court
Universidad Mayor
(2019-2021)
NAM
Strengthening the immune system by gut microbiome modification to enhance a protective response to vaccination in aged people
PI Erick Riquelme, Felipe Court
Universidad Mayor
(2021-2022)
FONDECYT REGULAR
Participation of NAD-dependent necroptosis activation in the mechanisms associated to the axonal degeneration program
PI Felipe Court
Universidad Mayor
(2019-2023)
FONDEF
Machine learning para el diagnóstico precoz y perfil multimodal de la Enfermedad de Alzheimer basado en miRNA de exosomas circulantes
PI Claudia Duran, Felipe Court
Universidad Mayor
(2020-2024)
Past Projects
FONDECYT Regular
Glia-to-axon transfer of ribosomes: Pathway and regulatory mechanisms
PI Felipe Court
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
(2007-2010)
Proyecto Internacional
Role of UPR in locomotor recovery after Spinal cord injury
PI Felipe Court, Claudio Hetz
Universidad de Chile
(2010-015)
FONDECYT Regular
Mechanisms involved in the axonal degeneration program: role of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction
PI Felipe Court
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
(2011-2014)
CONICYT FONDEF
Estimulación de la recuperación locomotora luego del daño a la medula espinal utilizando activadores vesiculares derivados de células gliales periféricas
PI Felipe Court
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
(2013-2015)
Iniciativa Milenio
Millenium Nucleus in Regenerative Biology (MINREB, Renovacion)
PI Francisca Bronfman
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
(2014-2016)
Proyecto Internacional
Circuit Formation by Spatio-Temporal Control of Messenger RNA Translation
PI Felipe Court, Avraham Yaron
Universidad Mayor
(2016-2019)
CONICYT ECOS-Chile
Investigating the role of caveolae-dependent mechanosensing in glial cells interaction with neurons
PI Felipe Court
Universidad Mayor
(2017-2020)
FONDEF
Botanic drug for the treatment of Insulin resistance and Diabetes type II and its evaluation in neurodegenerative diseases.
PI Miguel Bronfman
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
(2010-2013)
Iniciativa Milenio
Millenium Nucleus in Regenerative Biology (MINREB)
PI María Paz Marzolo
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
(2011-2014)
Proyecto Internacional
Role of Cellular Stress in locomotor recovery after Spinal cord injury
PI Felipe Court, Claudio Hetz
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
(2012-2015)
CONICYT
Neuronal network-based initiative (NBI): Understanding the causes of neuronal vulnerability in disease
PI Felipe Court
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
(2013-2015)
FONDECYT Regular
Transfer of RNA from Schwann cell to neurons mediated by exosomes: impact upon axonal regeneration and neuronal survival
PI Felipe Court
Universidad Mayor
(2015-2018)
CONICYT REDES
A multimodel collaborative network to study develpment and function of the nervous system in health and disease
PI Felipe Court
Universidad Mayor
(2018-2020)