Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section - Division of Intramural Research

Susan Wray, Ph.D., Senior Investigator

Dr. Wray received her B.A. degree from Middlebury College and her M.S, and Ph.D. degrees from University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry where she worked on development of neuroendocrine systems associated with puberty. She continued her work on neuroendocrine systems as a postdoctoral fellow with Harold Gainer in NICHD. In 1992 she became a faculty member of NINDS as a Unit Chief in the Laboratory of Neurochemistry and in 1999 became Chief of the newly created Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section. She is a council member of the International Society of Neuroendocrinology and a founding member of the American Neuroendocrine Society. Dr. Wray's laboratory is studying developmental cues underlying neuronal migration, and neurogenesis and regulation of neuroendocrine cells essential for reproduction.

Laboratory Staff

Paul Cheng, B.S., Postbaccalaureate IRTA
Kayla Correia, B.S., Postbaccalaureate IRTA
Ellen Flannery, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Paolo Forni, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
B. Ian Hutchins, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Ulrike Klenke, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Brandon Pope, B.S., Postbaccalaureate IRTA
Sarah Shangraw, B.S., Postbaccalaureate IRTA
Carol Taylor-Burds, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Susan Wray Staff Image

Research Interests

CDNS conducts fundamental research on neurogenesis of placodally derived neurons and regulation of neuroendocrine cells. Our focus is on development and regulation of LHRH neurons, which are neuroendocrine cells essential for reproduction. Alterations in normal development or regulation of the LHRH system results in reproductive dysfunctions. Developmentally, LHRH neurons originate outside the CNS, in the nasal placode, and thereafter migrate into the brain. Once within the brain, LHRH neurons become integral components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and exhibit pulses of LHRH secretion approximately once an hour in reproductively mature animals.

Our ability to systematically manipulate the molecular and cellular biology of the developing LHRH system opens the route to understanding critical neurobiological issues such as phenotypic commitment and mechanisms involved in neuronal migration. In addition, the mechanisms regulating LHRH gene and peptide expression, as well as peptide secretion are being examined to decipher the cellular characteristics underlying neuroendocrine function.

Research models include nasal explants, hypothalamic slice cultures, immortalized LHRH cell lines, and normal and transgenic animals. Multidisciplinary approaches are used to: 1) localize cell surface components which act as molecular guides for neuronal migration, 2) identify neuronal phenotypes which are derived from olfactory placode and the lineage relationship between them and, 3) create single cell libraries from neurons at different developmental stages for isolation of candidate ‘migrational’ or ‘differentiation’ genes and 4) measuring changes in LHRH mRNA levels and LHRH secretion determine cellular properties of LHRH cells underlying pulsatile secretion.

Selected Recent Publications

Forni, PE, Wray, S
Neural Crest and olfactory system: new prospective and controversies , Molecular Neurobiology, 2012
Casoni F, Hutchins BI, Donohue D, Fornaro M, Condie BG, Wray S
SDF and GABA Interact to Regulate Axophilic Migration of GnRH-1 Neurons, Journal of Cell Science, 2012
Bashour N, Wray S
Progesterone directly and rapidly inhibits GnRH neuronal activity via progesterone receptor membrane component 1, Endocrinology, 2012
Forni P, Fornaro M, Guenette S, Wray S
A role for Fe65 in controlling GnRH-1 neurogenesis, J. Neuroscience, 2011
Forni PE, Taylor-Burds C, Melvin S, Williams T, Wray S
Neural Crest and Ectodermal Cells Intermix in the Nasal Placode to give rise to GnRH-1 Neurons, Sensory Neurons and Olfactory Ensheathing Cells, J. Neuroscience, 2011
Constantin S, Klenke U, Wray S
The calcium oscillator of GnRH-1 neurons is developmentally regulated, Endocrinology, 2010
Metz H, Wray S
Use of mutant mouse lines to Investigate origin of GnRH-1 neurons: lineage independent of the adenohypophysis, Endocrinology, 2010
Klenke U, Constantin S, Wray S
Neuropeptide Y directly inhibits neuronal activity in a subpopulation of GnRH-1 neurons via Y1 receptors, Endocrinology, 2010

Selected Earlier Publications

Contact Information

Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section, NINDS
Porter Neuroscience Research Center
Building 35, Room 3A-1012
35 Convent Drive, MSC 3703
Bethesda, MD 20892-3703

Telephone: 301-496-6646 (office), 301-496-8129 (laboratory), 301-496-8578 (fax)
Email: wrays@ninds.nih.gov