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Greg Duncan is an assistant professor in the Department of Neuroscience. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, where he studied the transcriptional regulation of myelin regeneration. He joined the Department in 2025 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Oregon Health and Science University in the laboratory of Dr. Ben Emery. His postdoctoral research focused on the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in demyelinating diseases. During this time, he identified a critical kinase cascade, mediated by dual leucine zipper kinase, that is essential for the apoptosis of chronically demyelinated neurons.
The Duncan lab focuses on understanding the vital role of oligodendrocytes, the brain's myelin-producing cells, in maintaining neuronal function and health. Myelin ensures that nerve signals are transmitted quickly and efficiently. When myelin is lost, as seen in the demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis (MS), it can lead to significant motor, sensory, and cognitive dysfunction. Crucially, demyelinated neurons lose the support of oligodendrocytes, making them susceptible to damage. This neurodegeneration is the main cause of progressive disability in MS, and finding ways to prevent it is a critical unmet therapeutic need. We integrate novel transgenic mice along with a range of advanced techniques, including electron microscopy, neurophysiology, CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene editing, and single-nuclei RNAseq to uncover mechanistic insights into how neurons become damaged or adapt to demyelination. Our current projects aim to pinpoint the molecular triggers of neurodegeneration in MS and to understand the transcriptional and metabolic changes neurons undergo. Ultimately, our long-term goal is to develop effective therapeutic strategies that prevent neurodegeneration in MS and, in doing so, halt or slow the progression of MS.