Dr. Gabriel O. Aisemberg is Assistant Professor in the Ph.D. Program in Biology at The Graduate Center and in the Department of Biological Sciences at Lehman College. His research focuses on the expression and function of the Hox genes, a family of genes present in all animals. Certain developmental anomalies of the nervous system found in humans and animals can be traced back to Hox gene mutations. The main goal of Dr. Aisemberg's research is to study the role of Hox genes in the embryonic nervous systems using the leech as a model organism. The proteins coded by the Hox genes are present and function primarily in the cell nucleus where they regulate the expression of batteries of other genes. The expression patterns of Hox genes suggest a combinatorial code whereby different regions of the nervous system are specified by particular combinations of Hox genes. To improve knowledge of Hox gene function at the single-neuron level, Dr. Aisemberg studies the function of these genes in leech embryos where the properties of individual neurons are easy to examine. This research uncovered that Hox genes are involved in the regional differentiation of neurons, an important aspect of nervous system development. In addition, results from the Aisemberg lab showed that knockdown of the expression of a Hox gene causes defects in nerve patterning.
Dr. Aisemberg's most recent scientific papers have appeared in Journal of Neurobiology, in Development, Genes and Evolution, and in Protein Expression and Purification. Dr. Aisemberg's research is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.