Bio

Understanding the bioelectric control of the birth of new neurons

Dr. Leigh Anne Swayne is a neuroscientist who was recently recruited (January 1, 2011) to the Division of Medical Sciences (UVic) and the Island Medical Program (UBC). She has expertise in electrophysiology as well as protein and lipid biochemistry. She previously held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Ottawa and at the CNRS in Montpellier, France. Leigh Anne’s long-term lab direction is to uncover and understand the myriad functions of ion channels in the impulse conducting cells of the brain over the ‘lifetime’ of these cells (from the neural stem cell to the mature neuron).

Addtional appointments:

Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Department of Cellular Physiology, UBC

Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology

Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology

Leigh Anne is an avid sportswoman of all sorts (rugby, basketball, volleyball, running…) who is most contented when active. She’s enjoyed a lifelong passion for books and movies.  Together Leigh Anne and her husband share a wonderful miniature Schnauzer.

Research

• Bioelectric control of neural stem and progenitor cell biology
• Neural stem cells in brain repair
• Pannexins and voltage-gated sodium and calcium channel superfamily members
  • Structure, function and regulation by protein-protein interactions

Brain disorders, like stroke, affect a large proportion of Canadians. Stroke causes significant damage to the brain, including the loss of neurons in affected regions. We now know that new neurons can be made even in adult brain from resident stem cells. Stem cells are unique unspecialized cells that can produce more cells including neurons. Having studied ion channels from both biochemical and electrophysiological perspectives, Leigh Anne’s long-term objective is to unravel the contributions of different ion channel to the control of neural stem cell behaviour (proliferation, differentation, migration. maturation). She recently discovered that a pannexin-family-member (pannexins are large-pore single membrane ion- and metabolite-permeable channels), called Panx2, is expressed in neural stem cells. The results of her work suggest Panx2 may act to maintain the cells in which it is expressed in a stem-like state. 

In addition to her interest in pannexins, she has previously done several structure-function and protein interaction regulation studies on members of the voltage-gated sodium and calcium channel super-family (N-type voltage-gated calcium channels and sodium leak channel, non- selective, NALCN). She will apply similar tools to study ion channels in neurogenesis.

Leigh Anne's work will contribute to our knowledge of the bioelectric control of neural stem cells, and, in the long-term, may assist in the evaluation of specific ion channels as targets to promote brain repair.

Funding

NSERC Discovery Grant (Total $180,00 + $5,000 Early Careeer Researcher Supplement)

Victoria Foundation ($6,000)

Canadian Foundation for Innovation Leaders Opportunity Fund ($150,000)

Publications

1. Wicki-Stordeur LE, Dzugalo AD, Swansburg RM, Suits JM, Swayne LA (2012) Pannexin 1 regulates postnatal neural stem and progenitor cell proliferation. Neural Development, in press.
2. Swayne LA, Wicki-Stordeur LE (2012) Ion channels in postnatal neurogenesis: potential targets for brain repair. Channels, in press.
3. Kennedy MA, Kabania N, Lambert J-P, Swayne LA, Ahmed F, Figeys D, Bennett SAL, Bryan J, Baetz K (2011) Srf1 is a novel regulator of phospholipase D activity and is essential to buffer the toxic effects of C16:0 platelet activating factor. PLoS Genetics 7(2): e1001299. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1001299 [Epub ahead of print]
4. Redensek A, Rathore K, Berard JL, Lopez-Vales R, Swayne LA, Steffany Bennett, Mohri I, Taniike M, Urade Y, David S (2011) Expression and detrimental role of hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase in spinal cord contusion injury.  Glia, 2011 Feb 3. doi: 10.1002/glia.21128. [Epub ahead of print]
5. Bou Khalil M, Hou W, Zhou H, Elisma F, Swayne LA, Blanchard AP, Yao Z, Bennett SA, Figeys D (2010) Lipidomics era: Accomplishments and challenges. Mass Spectrom Rev, 29: 877-929.
6. Swayne LA, Sorbara CD, Bennett SAL (2010) Pannexin 2 is expressed in hippocampal neural progenitor cells and modulates neuronal commitment. J Biol Chem, 285: 24977-24986.
7. Swayne LA, Mezghrani A, Lory P, Nargeot J, Monteil A (2010) The NALCN ion channel is a new actor in pancreatic beta-cell physiology. Islets, 2: 54-56 (review).
8. Ryan SD, Whitehead SN, Swayne LA, Moffat TC, Hou W, Ethier M, Bourgeois AJG, Rashidian J, Blanchard AP, Fraser PE, Park DS, Figeys D, Bennett SAL (2009) Amyloid-β42 signals tau hyperphosphorylation and compromises neuronal viability by disrupting alkylacylglycerophosphocholine metabolism. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 106: 20936-20941.
9. Swayne LA, Mezghrani A, Varrault A, Chemin J, Bertrand G, Dalle S, Bourinet E, Lory P, Miller RJ, Nargeot J, Monteil A (2009) The NALCN cation channel is modulated by muscarinic M3 receptors independently of G protein activation in a β pancreatic cell line. EMBO Rep, 10: 873-880.
10. Weng N, Baumler MD, Thomas DD, Falkowski MA, Swayne LA, Braun JE, Groblewski GE (2009) Functional role of cysteine string protein's J domain in Ca2+-dependent secretion from acinar cells. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, 296: G1030-1039.
11. Swayne LA , Bourinet E (2008) Voltage-gated calcium channels in chronic pain:  emerging role of alternative splicing. Pflugers Arch (Eur J Physiol),456: 459-466 (review).
12. Swayne LA, Braun JE (2007) Aggregate-centered redistribution of proteins by mutant huntingtin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 354: 39-44.
13. Bai L, Swayne LA, Braun JE (2007) The CSPalpha/G protein complex in PC12 cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 352: 123-129.
14. Bidaud I, Mezghrani A, Swayne LA, Monteil A, Lory P (2006) Voltage-gated calcium channels in genetic diseases. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1763: 1169-1174 (review).

1. Swayne LA, Beck KE, Braun JE (2006) The cysteine string protein multimeric complex. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 348: 83-91.
2. Swayne LA, Chen L, Hameed S, Barr W, Charlesworth E, Colicos MA, Zamponi GW, Braun JE (2005) Crosstalk between huntingtin and syntaxin 1A regulates N-type calcium channels. Mol Cell Neurosci, 30: 339-351.
3. Miller LC, Swayne LA, Chen L, Feng ZP, Wacker JL, Muchowski PJ, Zamponi GW, Braun JE (2003) Cysteine string protein (CSP) inhibition of N-type calcium channels is blocked by mutant huntingtin. J Biol Chem, 278: 53072-53081.
4. Miller LC‡, Swayne LA‡, Kay JG, Feng ZP, Jarvis SE, Zamponi GW, Braun JE (2003) Molecular determinants of cysteine string protein modulation of N-type calcium channels. J Cell Sci, 116(Pt 14): 2967-2974 (‡ equal contribution).
5. Swayne LA, Blattler C, Kay JG, Braun JE (2003) Oligomerization characteristics of cysteine string protein. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 300: 921-926.

People

Leigh Wicki-Stordeur - MSc Student, Neuroscience; BSc (Hon) Biochemistry, UVic

Leigh joined the Swayne lab team in February 2011, while finishing her BSc in Biochemistry, and is now working towards her MSc in the new Neuroscience Graduate program. Leigh's current project centres on the role of the Pannexin-1 ion channel in neural stem and progenitor cells, and how it affects neuronal development. Additionally, Leigh is using proteomic tools and in vitro models of neurogenesis to examine the changes in expression in the repertoire of ion channels present throughout neuronal development.

Leigh's Favourite: Extracurricular activities: soccer, reading and skiing.

Adrian Dzugalo - Co-op BSc Student, Biochemistry and Microbiology, UVic

Adrian is interested in immunology and neuroscience, which led him to the Swayne lab, where he is involved in projects studying Pannexin-1 channels in the regulation of neural stem cells, along with researching ion channels involved in neurogenesis. He is a Victoria native and graduated from Claremont Secondary, where he was a member of the AAA Basketball team and tennis team. A generally sporty guy, Adrian has also played football, soccer and enjoys snowboarding, running and weight training.

Adrian's Favourites: Places: Maui and Venice; Movies: Wedding Crashers, Tron and Step Brothers

New Undergraduate Researchers:

Andrew Boyce (Biology and Anthropology) in progress

Ross Prager BSc (Biochemistry and Microbiology Co-op) in progress

Rose Swansburg BSc (Biology Co-op) in progress

Opportunities

This could be you!

Please contact Dr. Swayne ( lswayne@uvic.ca) with the following information to inquire about the following positions.

Post Doctoral Researchers

Prospective post doctoral researchers will be evaluated on an individual basis. Please submit the following documents:
Cover letter explaining interest in the Swayne lab and proposing a potential project based on our previously published work
CV
Copies of relevant publications

Graduate Students

The Swayne lab is always looking for highly motivated graduate students who have an interest in cellular and molecular neuroscience - especially those with expertise in proteomics and electrophysiology. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Swayne. For more information on associated graduate programs at UVic please refer to the following:

Biology and neuroscience students - Division of Medical Sciences
http://imp.uvic.ca/research/neuroscience/

Biochemistry students - Department of Biochemistry
http://web.uvic.ca/biochem/graduate.html

Undergraduate Students

If you are interested in volunteering/working in Swayne Lab, please submit the following documents.
CV with references
Transcript
Paragraph explaining your interest in the lab