The goal of the Conte Center at Northwestern University is to understand how gene expression and associated gene function within key neuronal subtypes regulates neurobiological substrates required to form cortical circuits that enable decision-making and behavioral adaptations.

Ras and Rho-like small GTPases play fundamental biological roles within neurons by controlling cell- autonomous growth-related signaling pathways and orchestrating neuronal circuit assembly and function. GEFs and GAPs are direct upstream regulators of small GTPase signaling, and within neurons, orchestrate cellular migration, neuronal morphogenesis, synaptic connectivity, synaptic plasticity triggered in response to novel sensory experience, in vivo neural circuit function, and associated behavioral adaptations. GEFs and GAPs as exemplar biological entry points for understanding how cellular GTPase signaling shapes neural circuits that facilitate adaptive behaviors.

However, it is unknown how their expression and function within specific neuronal subtypes and defined developmental windows drive cortical circuit refinement to impact cognitive processing and associated behaviors. To close this knowledge gap, our integrated, interdisciplinary, multi-level “Center for GTPase Regulation of Neuronal Cell Biology and Behavior” studies the roles of GTPase signaling in cortical neural circuit with the goal of understanding fundamental principles that drive the hierarchical organization of brain circuits that underlie complex behaviors.

Comprised of investigators with expertise that spans all major levels of brain function – molecular, synaptic, cellular, circuit, system, and behavior – the Impact of our Center will be to mechanistically connect the regulation of GTPase signaling within distinct neuronal subtypes to the assembly and function of behavioral circuits associated with mental disorders.