Matthew R Sarkisian

I completed my BS in Biological Sciences at Clemson University. I earned my PhD in Physiology and Neurobiology at University of Connecticut, and then completed postdoctoral training in Neurobiology at Yale University School of Medicine.

The goal of my research program in the University of Florida Dept of Neuroscience is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to both normal and abnormal growth of the cerebral cortex. When this process goes awry, it is believed to underlie a host of neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., intellectual disability, epilepsy, autism) as well as diseases that manifest across the lifespan, including neurodegenerative conditions and brain cancers. My lab is particularly intrigued by primary cilia, hair-like organelles with highly sophisticated sensory and signaling capacities found on virtually all neural cell types, and how they contribute to cortical development, neural circuit assembly, and disease pathogenesis. Using in utero and neonatal gene transfer alongside biochemical, molecular, and histological approaches, we manipulate and track neurons to decipher how ciliary signaling directs brain development and function. Building on these developmental insights, our translational neuro-oncology research investigates how primary cilia and associated cellular pathways influence tumor growth, microenvironment interactions, and treatment resistance. In collaboration with members of the McKnight Brain Institute, Preston A. Wells Jr Center for Brain Tumor Therapy, and Florida Center for Brain Tumor Research, we utilize primary cell cultures, xenograft models, and patient biopsies to study adult glioblastoma. Further, our research is actively expanding to dissect disease mechanisms, model tumor progression, and evaluate targeted therapies for aggressive and currently untreatable pediatric brain tumors, including diffuse midline glioma (DMG), diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), and ependymomas.