Bryce LaFoya, PhD
Position title: Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry
Email: lafoya@wisc.edu
Website: Website
- Organ System/Disease Focus:
- neurodevelopment, brain injury and regeneration, neurodegenerative diseases
- Aligned Research Focus:
- stem cell dynamics, live imaging, Danionella fish and Drosophila
Research Description:
Stem cells are key drivers of tissue formation, and our research focuses on their roles in brain development and repair. Using super-resolution microscopy to study brain development in fruit flies and fish, we visualize dynamic stem cell processes involving the cytoskeleton, plasma membrane, organelles, and the midbody. We also utilize Danionella fish, renowned for their transparency and remarkable ability to regenerate their brains after injury, to investigate stem cell mechanisms underlying brain regeneration. Ultimately, our goal is to uncover insights that could lead to regenerative therapies for brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.
Selected References:
LaFoya B, Prehoda KE. Consumption of a polarized membrane reservoir drives asymmetric membrane expansion during the unequal divisions of neural stem cells. Dev Cell. 2023 Jun 5;58(11):993-1003.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.04.006. Epub 2023 Apr 27. PubMed PMID: 37116487; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10247545.
LaFoya B, Penkert RR, Prehoda KE. The cytokinetic midbody mediates asymmetric fate specification at mitotic exit during neural stem cell division. bioRxiv. 2024 Aug 28;. doi: 10.1101/2024.08.27.609974. PubMed PMID: 39253494; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11383292.
LaFoya B, Prehoda KE. Actin-dependent membrane polarization reveals the mechanical nature of the neuroblast polarity cycle. Cell Rep. 2021 May 18;35(7):109146. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109146. PubMed PMID: 34010656; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8174105.
LaFoya B, Welch SE, Prehoda KE. Lgl resets Par complex membrane loading at mitotic exit to enable asymmetric neural stem cell division. bioRxiv. 2024 Dec 2;. doi: 10.1101/2024.09.29.615680. PubMed PMID: 39677723; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11642762.
LaFoya B, Prehoda KE. Membrane oscillations driven by Arp2/3 constrict the intercellular bridge during neural stem cell divisions. bioRxiv. 2024 Oct 29;. doi: 10.1101/2024.10.28.620743. PubMed PMID: 39554021; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11565815.