Marina E. Emborg

Senior Scientist
Wisconsin National Primate Research Center
Director, WNPRC Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program
Assistant Professor
Department of Medical Physics
1223 Capital Court
Madison, WI 53715
(608) 262-9714

Marina Emborg (embryonic stem cells, nonhuman primate models, neural stem cells, GDNF, dopaminergic neurons, Parkinson's disease, drug delivery)

From left to right: Andrew Haertel, James Raschke, Christine Swanson, Viktorya Bondarenko, Marina Emborg, Brianna Drees, Valerie Joers, Jeffrey Moirano

Emborg directs the Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. Her lab focuses on understanding the physiopathology of, and developing treatments for neurological disorders, in particular Parkinson's disease. She and her collaborators are working toward developing better animal models of neurodegenerative disorders. The investigators are studying the effects of stem cells, embryonic or progenitors in the nonhuman primate brain. Ex vivo and in vivo approaches are used to deliver therapeutic molecules in the brain such as glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) on existing dopa neurons in the brains of parkinsonian animal models. Emborg's research program also addresses the clinical translation of small molecules targeting antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic pathways for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Recent References:

1. Emborg ME. Nonhuman primate models of Parkinson's disease. ILAR J. 2007;48(4):339-55.
2. Emborg, M. E., M. Carbon, J. E. Holden, M. J. During, Y. Ma, C. Tang, J. Moirano, H. Fitzsimons, B. Z. Roitberg, E. Tuccar, A. Roberts, M. G. Kaplitt, and D. Eidelberg. 2007. Subthalamic glutamic acid decarboxylase gene therapy: changes in motor function and cortical metabolism. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 27:501-9.
3. Emborg, M. E., J. Moirano, K. T. Schafernak, M. Moirano, M. Evans, T. Konecny, B. Roitberg, P. Ambarish, E. Mangubat, Y. Ma, D. Eidelberg, J. Holden, J. H. Kordower, and J. E. Leestma. 2006. Basal ganglia lesions after MPTP administration in rhesus monkeys. Neurobiol Dis 23:281-9.
4. Roitberg, B. Z., E. Mangubat, E. Y. Chen, K. Sugaya, K. R. Thulborn, J. H. Kordower, A. Pawar, T. Konecny, and M. E. Emborg. 2006. Survival and early differentiation of human neural stem cells transplanted in a nonhuman primate model of stroke. J Neurosurg 105:96-102.
5. Stephenson, D. T., M. A. Childs, Q. Li, S. Carvajal-Gonzales, A. Opsahl, M. Tengowski, M. D. Meglasson, K. Merchant, and M. E. Emborg. 2007. Differential loss of presynaptic dopaminergic markers in Parkinsonian monkeys. Cell Transplant 16:229-244.
6. Stephenson, D. T., Q. Li, C. Simmons, M. A. Connell, M. D. Meglasson, K. Merchant, and M. E. Emborg. 2005. Expression of GAD65 and GAD67 immunoreactivity in MPTP-treated monkeys with or without L-DOPA administration. Neurobiol. Dis. 20:347-359.
7. Stephenson, D. T., M. D. Meglasson, M. A. Connell, M. A. Childs, E. Hajos-Korcsok, and M. E. Emborg. 2005. The effects of a selective dopamine D2 receptor agonist on behavioral and pathological outcome in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-treated squirrel monkeys. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 314:1257-1266.
8. Emborg ME. 2004. Evaluation of animal models of Parkinson's disease for neuroprotective strategies. J Neurosci Methods. 139(2):121-43.

Links:

New Research Program Tackles Parkinson's Disease

Gene Therapy Research Targets Parkinson's Disease