About Us

The primary objectives of the Program, which was established in 2006, are to advance basic knowledge of nerve cell biology, to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and to translate such insights into improved therapies. By building on its rich tradition in basic neuroscience and further enhancing this strength, Yale expects the CNNR to function as a productive mechanism for progress toward treating neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’ disease and ALS as well as acute nervous tissue injuries. The CNNR will provide a focus for research in neuronal cell biology and neurodegeneration across the existing Yale neuroscience community and will serve as a catalyst for collaborations in this field across the University and beyond.

The CNNR is currently recruiting faculty with the objective of establishing a core group of about nine primary faculty members housed in adjacent laboratories in prime space within the Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine (BCMM). At present the CNNR has eight primary faculty members and ten affiliated faculty members who hold appointments in various departments.Two core facilities, a light microscopy imaging core and a functional genomics core serve as bridges to the larger neuroscience community at Yale.

The directors of the program are Pietro De Camilli, M.D., Eugene Higgins Professor of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, and Stephen M. Strittmatter, M.D., Ph.D., Vincent Coates Professor of Neurology and of Neurobiology, both members of Yale’s Kavli Institute for Neuroscience.