Frederic Mercier, Ph.D.

Assistant Research Professor
Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology
John A. Burns School of Medicine
Associate Researcher, Bekesy Lab
Pacific Biosciences Research Center
1993 East-West Rd
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822

Telephone: (808) 956-7414
E-mail: fmercier@hawaii.edu

Education

University of Grenoble, France. B.Sc., 1982 – Cell Biology & Physiology
University of Montpellier II, France. M.Sc., 1984 – Neuroendocrinology/Development
Business School, Toulouse, France. M.B.A., 1988 – Management of Innovation, Transfer Technology
University of Montpellier II, France. Ph.D., 1989 – Molecular & Cell Biology

Personal Statement

The primary focus of my research is to characterize the neural stem cell niche and the mechanisms that regulate the production of new neurons and glial cells in the developing and adult brain. I am particularly interested in the role of the meninges and of fractones (particulate extracellular matrix structures that I previously characterized in both the developing and adult brain) as potential neural stem cell niches components. In the neural stem cell niche of the adult brain, I have demonstrated that fractone- associated heparan sulfate proteoglycans serve as captors and activators of growth factors to regulate neural stem cell proliferation. I study the possibility that meningeal extensions within the brain (falx cerebri and choroid plexus) cooperate with fractones to regulate neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation and consequently the production of new neurons and glia in the developing and adult brain.