RESEARCH

CEREBRAL PALSY GENOMICS

We serve as the genomics hub for the Cerebral Palsy Research Network (CP Research Network).

The CP Research Network is a North American consortium comprised of more than 30 centers of excellence in cerebral palsy research and care. The CP Research Network seeks to use data from contributing centers to establish gold standards for CP diagnosis and treatment. 

Lab PI Michael Kruer serves as both site PI for Phoenix Children's Hospital and leader of the genomics hub for the network. Collaborating with colleagues within the CP Research Network has allowed the lab to launch the NIH-funded Genetic Causes of CP study, dedicated to understanding the genomic landscape of CP." 

MECHANISMS OF HEALTH & DISEASE

Although identifying the genetic basis of a disorder represents a major achievement, it is often the first step to understanding the mechanisms involved.

Ongoing studies within the lab include studies of cellular CoA handling, the RHO GTPase pathway, and the integrated stress response. 
We use a variety of techniques in order to understand both normal cellular biology and how genetic variants disrupt the trajectory of brain development. These encompass yeast models, mammalian cell lines (including patient-derived cells), Drosophila, and neuronally differentiated iPSCs.
Within our research group, bioinformaticians and computational biologists, physicians, neuroscientists, geneticists, and molecular and cell biologists work side-by-side to answer challenging questions.

RARE PEDIATRIC MOVEMENT DISORDERS RESEARCH

From the patients we see at the Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix Children’s Hospital and supported by partnerships with referring physicians and families.

We enroll patients with chorea, dystonia, ataxia, juvenile parkinsonism, and other movement disorders in our studies in order to decipher the fundamental cause of what is often a rare, undiagnosed childhood neurological disease.