Dr. Craig C. Garner
Dr. Craig C. Garner is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He is also the co-director of the Stanford Center for Research and Treatment of Down Syndrome. After receiving his Ph.D. at Purdue University, he lived and worked in Europe for ten years. During this time, he became interested in the development of mammalian nervous systems and began his pioneering studies designed to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the assembly and function of synaptic junctions.
Since moving to Stanford University in 2002, his group has refocused its research efforts to understand how synaptic dysfunction in mouse models of Down syndrome contributes to cognitive impairment. Initial studies indicate that mice carrying an extra copy of the Down syndrome critical region have cognitive and learning problems similar to those observed in individuals with Down syndrome. Abnormal synaptic signaling between neuronal cells appears to be one possible underlying cause. Future studies in Dr. Garner’s laboratory will focus on defining which genes are responsible for cognitive dysfunction and on finding drugs that alter synaptic signaling to correct these deficits. Intense research in this area will hopefully lead to practical treatments for cognitive dysfunction in individuals with Down syndrome.
