Stephanie Ceman is a professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology. Her research topics and interests include neurobiology, protein-nucleic acid interactions, regulation of gene expression, and neurological and behavioral disorders.

Education

• B.S., Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison 

• Ph.D., Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison 

• Postdoctoral fellow, University of Chicago

• Postdoctoral fellow, Emory University

Research Interests:

• Neurobiology

• Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions

• Regulation of Gene Expression

• Neurological Disorders

• Behavioral Disorders

Ceman is interested in the molecular basis of cognition, which she studies using fragile X syndrome as a model system. Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the absence of expression of the fragile X mental retardation protein FMRP, which is encoded by the FMR1 gene. FMRP is an RNA binding protein that binds ~4% of brain RNAs and regulates their translation. She is focused on understanding how FMRP regulates translation of its bound RNAs. She has collaborated with Roberto Galvez at the Beckman Institute in studying the behavioral and spine phenotype in Fmr1 knockout mice to gain insight into the neuronal deficits underlying FXS. Her group has discovered a novel helicase MOV10 that associates with FMRP and facilitates translation regulation of commonly bound RNAs (Kenny et al, Cell Reports 2014). To gain insight into MOV10 function in brain, they are creating a MOV10 knockout mouse. They will characterize the behavior of this mouse by collaborating with Justin Rhodes. One of the great intellectual advantages of her association with the Beckman Institute is her association with the Neuroscience program. This affiliation has greatly enhanced her development as a neuroscientist.