e-mail- rskoff@med.wayne.edu

Education:
1967, B.S., Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL (Biology)
1967-1971, Boston University, Boston, MA (Anatomy), Ph.D.; Directors: Drs. J. Vaughn and A. Peters;

Training:
1971-1973, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.(Neurobiology), Postdoctoral Fellow, Director: Dr. Viktor Hamburger.

Professional and Faculty Appointments:
Instructor: (Neurology), Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine; 1973-1974.
Assistant Professor: (Neurology), Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine;1974-1978.(Anatomy), Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine;1976-1978.

Associate Professor: (Anatomy), Wayne State Univ. School of Medicine;1978-1985.(Tenure granted 1980)
Professor: (Anatomy), Wayne State Univ. School of Medicine; 1985- present.
Neurology (Adjunct), Wayne State Univ. Sch. of Med.; 1988- present.
Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics (Adjunct), Wayne State Univ. Sch. of Med.; 1998-present

Visiting Professor, Institut de Chimie Biologique, Laboratoire
De Neurobiologie Moleculaire des Interactions Cellulaires Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Strasbourg France, 3-99 to 7-99

Honors and awards:
Wayne State University L.M. Weiner Distinguished Faculty Award 2000
Wayne State Univ. Distinguished Faculty Fellowship 1991-1993
New York Academy of Sciences Certificate of Appreciation 1990
Wayne State University Career Development Chair Award 1984-

Major Research Interests:

Major research interests: Our laboratory is supported by grants from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, the European Leukodystrophy Association, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. These grants support research of proteins in the myelin sheath that are critical for normal human function. We study a protein, proteolipid protein, in myelin that is often mutated in humans and is fatal. Using molecular and cell biological techniques, we are studying the mechanisms by which mutations in this protein lead to cell death and finally death. We have available for study transgenic mice that mimic closely a human developmental disease. Click here to view the larger image.

We also study sexual dimorphism of oligodendrocytes, the myelin forming cells in the central nervous system. Our laboratory is the first laboratory in the world to demonstrate morphological and functional differences in male and female oligodendrocytes. These cells are destroyed in multiple sclerosis. However, the pattern of destruction in women and men is quite different. Our analyses of these differences may shed light on the cellular basis for the differences in MS lesions between men and women. Click here to view the larger image.

Current Research:
Our laboratory utilizes different molecular and cell biology techniques to study cell lineages and the regulation of myelin formation. These techniques include in situ hybridization, tissue culture, immunocytochemistry, cell transfections, myelin protein synthesis and targeting using enhanced green fluorescent protein as a marker protein, construction of point mutations in myelin protein genes, etc.

References:

1.	Bessert, D. and R.P. Skoff. High resolution in situ hybridization and TUNEL staining with free floating brain sections. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 47:693-701 (1999). Medline
2.	Cerghet M, Bessert DA, Nave K-A, Skoff RP. Differential expression of apoptotic markers in jimpy and in PLP overexpressors: evidence for different apoptotic pathways. J. Neurocytology 30:841-855 (2001; published 2002). Medline
3.	Boucher SEM, Carlock LR, Skoff RP. Proteolipid protein gene modulates viability and phenotype of neurons. J. Neurosci. 22:1772-1783 (2002). Medline
4.	Ghandour MS, Feutz A-C, Jalabi W, Taleb O, Bessert D, Cypher, M, Carlock L, Skoff RP. Trafficking of PLP/DM20 and cAMP signaling in immortalized jimpy oligodendrocytes. Glia 40:300-312 (2002). Medline
5.	Zaidi AU, Bessert DA, Ong JE, Xu H, Barks JDE, Silverstein FS, Skoff RP. New oligodendrocytes are generated after neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in rodents. Glia 46:380-390 (2004). Medline
6.	Skoff RP, Bessert DA, Cerghet M, Rout UK, Nave K-A, Carlock L, Ghandour MS, Armant DR. The myelin proteolipid protein1 gene modulates apoptosis in non-neural tissues. Cell Death and Differentiation, 11:1247-1257 (2004). Medline
7.	Skoff RP, Saluja I, Bessert D, Yang X..Analyses of proteolipid protein mutants show levels of proteolipid protein regulate oligodendrocyte number and cell death in vitro and in vivo. Neurochemical Research, 29:2095-2103 (2004). Medline
8.	Zhan Z, Mirela C, Mullins C, Williamson M, Bessert D, Skoff R. Comparison of in vivo and in vitro subcellular localization of estrogen receptors alpha and beta in oligodendrocytes. J. Neurochem 89:660- 673 (2004). Medline
9.	Cerghet M, Skoff RP, Bessert D, Zhang Z, Mullins C, Ghandour MS. Proliferation and death of oligodendrocytes and levels of myelin proteins are differentially regulated in male and female rodents. J. Neurosci. 26:1439-1447 (2006). Medline
10.	Skoff RP, Bessert D, Barks JD, Silverstein FS. Plasticity of neurons and glia following neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in rats. Neurochem. Res. 32:331-342 (2007). Medline

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