Texas A&M University-College Station · BiologyZarin Neuroplasticity Lab
Aref Arzan Zarin · College Station, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. Aref Arzan Zarin's lab at Texas A&M University studies how the nervous system can adapt after injury, particularly using the fruit fly as a model organism. The research focuses on understanding how different types of neurons and supporting cells, like glia, can restructure their connections in response to neuron loss, which is crucial for recovery from injuries like stroke and spinal cord damage. By uncovering these mechanisms in fruit flies, the lab aims to inform potential therapies for similar issues in mammals.
neural plasticityneuroinjuryDrosophilamotor circuitsneuromuscular junctionsglial cellssynaptic remodelingneurotrophic factorsaxonal sproutingcircuit reorganization
Research Aims
4AIM 01Investigate the structural plasticity of different types of motor neurons after neuronal loss.
AIM 02Analyze the role of glial cells in aiding the recovery of motor circuits post-injury.
AIM 03Determine the effectiveness of surviving neurons in forming new connections utilizing neurotrophic factors from surrounding tissues.
AIM 04Explore the intrinsic properties of neurons that influence their adaptability in response to injury.
Skills the Lab Values
microscopygenetic manipulationDrosophila husbandryaxon tracingimmunohistochemistryquantitative analysis of synapsescalcium imagingRNA extractionPCRanimal behavior assays
Output against the department
Publications35bottom 5% of dept.980th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations939bottom 4% of dept.989th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.