Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy

Positions Available:

Positions are currently available for PhD students and Postdoctoral Fellows.

Please contact Dr. Milan Joksimovic at mjoksimovic@mcw.edu or visit our Postdoctoral Positions web page.

Research Area:  Molecular mechanisms governing development of the mammalian central nervous system

A basic question in developmental neurobiology is how a common pool of neural progenitors differentiates into disparate neuronal cell types that are, with an astonishing precision, integrated into functional neural circuits. The midbrain dopamine neurons (mDA) are an attractive system to address this fundamental question. These neurons are implicated in circuits relevant to emotional, cognitive and motor functions. Aberrant function of mDA underlies a broad spectrum of disorders including Parkinson’s disease.

To comprehend mDA related diseases and potentially generate successful therapeutics, it is crucial to decipher molecular mechanisms behind proliferation, cell fate specification, migration, and correct axonal projections of mDA. In an attempt to provide answers to some of these basic questions, my laboratory uses conditional mouse genetics, genetic fate mapping, and various molecular biology techniques.

Training / Education

• BS, University of Belgrade, Serbia
• PhD, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
• Postdoctoral, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
   

Selected publications

• Coulombe, Y., Lemieux, M., Moreau, J., Aubin, J., Joksimovic, M.,Bérubé-Simard, F-A., Tabariès, S., Boucherat, O., Guillou, F., Larochelle, C., Tuggle, C.K., Jeannotte, L., 2010. Multiple promoters and alternative splicing: hoxa5 transcriptional complexity in the mouse embryo. PLoS One. 5(5):e10600.
• Joksimovic, M.,Anderegg, A., Roy, A., Campochiaro, L., Yun, B., Kittappa, R., McKay, R., Awatramani, R., 2009. Spatiotemporally separable Shh domains in the midbrain define distinct dopaminergic progenitor pools. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 106(45):19185-90.
• Joksimovic, M.,Yun, B., Kittappa, R., Anderegg, A., Chang, W., Taketo, M., McKay, R.D.G., Awatramani, R.B., 2009. Wnt antagonism of Shh facilitates midbrain floor plate neurogenesis. Nature Neuroscience. 12(2):125-31.
• Joksimovic, M.,Jeannotte, L., Tuggle, C.K., 2005. Dynamic expression of murine HOXA5 protein in the central nervous system. Gene Expression Patterns5, 792-800.
• Abbott, M.A., Joksimovic, M., Tuggle, C.K., 2005. Ectopic HOXA5 expression results in abnormal differentiation, migration and p53-independent cell death of superficial dorsal horn neurons. Brain Res. Dev. Brain Res. 159, 87-97.
• Krieger, K.E., Abbott, M.A., Joksimovic, M., Lueth, P.A., Sonea, I.M., Jeannotte, L., Tuggle, C.K., 2004. Transgenic mice ectopically expressing HOXA5 in the dorsal spinal cord show structural defects of the cervical spinal cord along with sensory and motor defects of the forelimb. Brain Res. Dev. Brain Res. 150, 125-139.