Laboratory of Neurophysiology - Division of Intramural Research

 Jeffery L.  Barker  M.D., Senior Investigator

Dr. Barker received his B.A. from Harvard College in 1964, and his M.D. from Boston University School of Medicine in 1968. After a surgical internship he became a PHS Commissioned Officer in 1969 to pursue a career in neuroscience at the NIH and trained primarily with Drs. Roger Nicoll (NIMH), Hal Gainer (NICHHD) and Tom Smith (NINDS). He became Chief of the NINDS Laboratory of Neurophysiology in 1981. Dr. Barker has received three PHS awards (1981, 1984, 1989) and the first Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Boston University School of Medicine (1993) given for achievement in research. Dr. Barker's lab has become focused on the physiology of CNS development and the roles of transmitters in this process using complementary strategies, including flow cytometry, imaging and electrophysiology.

Laboratory Staff

Yoong Chang, B.A., Research Assistant , 301-402- 1642
Wu Ma, M.D., Volunteer , 202-404- 6037
Dragan Maric, Ph.D., Staff Scientist , 301-402- 1406

Research Interests

The Laboratory of Neurophysiology studies the seminal biology of neural stem cells (NSCs) whose progeny subsequently compose the CNS. Immunophenotyping involving eight surface lineage and one apoptotic marker have been combined with flow cytometry to provide a comprehensive account of all lineages composing the embryonic CNS. Indicator dyes have been used in conjunction with flow cytometry to reveal cellular properties emerging in vivo as NSCs differentiate into lineage-restricted progenitors. The sort capability permits isolation of identified NSCs and progenitor populations for cellular and molecular studies in vitro.

Selected Recent Publications

Maric D, Barker JL
FACS sorting of neural stem cells and progenitors - Current Protocols in Neuroscience    2004

Fiorio Pla A, Maric D, Giacobini P, Brazer SC, Liu X, Chang YH, Ambudkar IS, Barker JL
TRPC1 plays a role in bFGF/FGFR-1-induced Ca2+ entry and rat neural stem cell proliferation - J. Neuroscience   25 2687-2701 2005

Ma W, Fitzgerald W, Liu QY, O'Shaughnessy TJ, Maric D, Lin HJ, Alkon DL, Barker JL
CNS stem and progenitor cell differentiation into functional neuronal circuits in three-dimensional collagen gels - Experimental Neurology   190 276-288 2004

Maric D, Barker JL
Neural stem cells redefined: a FACS perspective - Molecular Neurobiology   30 49-76 2004

Maric D, Maric I, Chang YH and Barker JL
Prospective cell sorting of neural stem cells and neuronal and glial progenitors reveals selective effects of bFGF and EGF on self-renewal and lineage progression. - J Neuroscience   23 240-251 2003

Contact Information

Laboratory of Neurophysiology, NINDS Building 49, Room 2A20  MSC4479   Bethesda MD  20892-4123

Telephone: 301-496- 2414 (office), 301- 496-2414 (laboratory), 301-402- 1565 (fax), Email: barkerj@ninds.nih.gov