| Institution Affiliations: |
| Assistant Professor of Pathology |
| Department of: PATHOLOGY |
| Section: Pathology |
| Specialty: Anatomic Pathology/Neuropathology |
| Joined Staff: 2002 |
| Cancer Center Membership: |
| Clinical Interests: |
| Brain Tumors |
| Neurodegeneration |
| ALS |
| Regeneration |
|
| Board Certified: |
| Anatomic Pathology/Neuropathology |
|
| Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 1995 |
| Stanford University, Stanford, CA, (Pathology, Anatomic) , Chief Resident 1997-1998 1997-99 |
| Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, (Neuropathology) 1997-99 |
| As a neuropathologist and neuroscientist, Dr. Harris recently joined the faculty of the DMS and started a neuroscience lab interested in studying glial-neuronal interactions, neuronal cell survival, ALS models of disease, and brain tumors. |
| Our ability to move our arms and legs depends on the integrity of our spinal motor neurons, which relay electrical signals from our brain to our muscles. When these motor neurons die, as can occur in injury or in a variety of degenerative diseases that affect infants and children (spinal muscular atrophies) or adults (ALS) irreversible paralysis or even death may ensue. Cortical upper motor neurons extend their axons great distances down to the spinal cord. For unknown reasons in ALS, this select group of neurons in the cerebrum atrophy and die similar to the lower motor neurons in the spinal cord. A number of transgenic animal models for ALS exist based on the superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene mutations found in a portion of familial ALS patients. These animals display similar clinical symptoms and histopathology to that found in human motor neuron disease. Thus, it is now possible and crucial to understand the signaling mechanisms that normally promote upper and lower motor neuron survival and how these processes go awry in motor neuron diseases. |
| Ullian, E.M., Harris, B.T.(Co-first authors) Wu, A., Chang, J. and Barres, B.A Schwann cells or astrocytes increase glutamatergic synaptogenesis in primary culture of rat spinal motor neurons. in press, Mol Cell Neuro, 2004 |
| Feliz B, Witt DR, Harris BT. Propionic acidemia: a neuropathology case report and review of prior cases.. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2003 Aug;127(8):e325-8. |
| Harris BT, Horoupian DS Spinal cord glioneuronal tumor with 'rosetted' neuropil islands and meningeal dissemination. Acta Neuropathol (Berl). 2000 Nov;100(5):575-9 |
|
|
|
|
Mailing Address:
Norris Cotton Cancer Center
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
One Medical Center Drive
Lebanon, NH 03756
|
|
