My current research at the Hussman Institute for Autism focuses on studying axonal guidance and cell migration mechanisms during early brain development. Using animal models as well as cell culture to understand the neurological differences happening during brain development in autism, I am particularly interested in analyzing how some GABAergic interneuron migration happens at early stages in autism.

During my Ph.D. with Dr. Max Recasens at University of Montpellier, France, I studied the expression of the glutamate transporters during in vitro development of hippocampal neurons. I showed that both GLAST and GLT transporters may play a key role in glutamate uptake during early developmental stages.  My first postdoctoral fellowship was with Dr. Linda Richards at University of Maryland Baltimore. I investigated the genes involved in the corpus callosum formation during mouse brain development. I uncovered a number of new mechanisms and molecules (including NFI members, Slit/Robo, Npn1/Semaphorin, and Emx2) that are required for callosal formation. I then worked with Dr. Elizabeth Powell to study the role of HGF/SF (hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor) and its receptor, Met, on GABAergic interneuron migration during brain development. In 2008, I received an award from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund to study the role of the metalloproteinases (MMPs) in stem cell migration after transplantation in mouse adult brain, with Dr. Adam Puche at University of Maryland Baltimore. I also studied the migration of GABAergic interneurons during the development of the olfactory bulb with Dr. Michael Shipley. In 2014 I joined the Department of Pharmacology as a research associate to study stem cell transplantation during traumatic brain injury with Dr. Paul Yarowsky.

Shen WB, Plachez C, Chan A, Yarnell D, Puche AC, Fishman PS, Yarowsky P. Human neural progenitor cells retain viability, phenotype, proliferation, and lineage differentiation when labeled with a novel iron oxide nanoparticle, Molday ION Rhodamine B. Int J Nanomedicine. 2013;8:4593-600.

 

Liu S, Plachez C, Shao Z, Puche A, Shipley MT. Olfactory bulb short axon cell release of GABA and dopamine produces a temporally biphasic inhibition-excitation response in external tufted cells. J Neurosci. 2013 Feb 13; 33(7):2916-26.

 

Plachez C, Cato K, McLeay RC, Heng YH, Bailey TL, Gronostajski RM, Richards LJ, Puche AC, Piper M. Expression of nuclear factor one A and -B in the olfactory bulb. J Comp Neurol. 2012 Oct 1;520(14):3135-49.

 

Plachez C, Puche AC. Early specification of GAD67 subventricular derived olfactory interneurons. J Mol Histol. 2012 Apr; 43(2):215-21.

 

Piper M, Plachez C, Zalucki O, Fothergill T, Goudreau G, Erzurumlu R, Gu C, Richards LJ. Neuropilin 1-Sema signaling regulates crossing of cingulate pioneering axons during development of the corpus callosum. Cereb Cortex. 2009 Jul; 19 Suppl 1:i11-21.

 

Piper M, Dawson AL, Lindwall C, Barry G, Plachez C, Richards LJ. Emx and Nfi genes regulate cortical development and axon guidance in the telencephalon. Novartis Found Symp. 2007;288:230-242.

 

Plachez C, Lindwall C, Sunn N, Piper M, Moldrich RX, Campbell CE, Osinski JM, Gronostajski RM, Richards LJ. Nuclear factor I gene expression in the developing forebrain. J Comp Neurol. 2008 May 20;508(3):385-401.

 

Plachez C, Andrews W, Liapi A, Knoell B, Drescher U, Mankoo B, Zhe L, Mambetisaeva E, Annan A, Bannister L, Parnavelas JG, Richards LJ, Sundaresan V. Robos are required for the correct targeting of retinal ganglion cell axons in the visual pathway of the brain. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2008 Apr;37(4):719-30.

 

Martins GJ, Plachez C, Powell EM. Loss of embryonic MET signaling alters profiles of hippocampal interneurons. Dev Neurosci. 2007;29(1-2):143-58.

 

Plachez C, Richards LJ. Mechanisms of axon guidance in the developing nervous system. Curr Top Dev Biol. 2005;69:267-346. Review.