BBS Faculty Member - James Gusella

James Gusella

Department of Genetics

Massachusetts General Hospital
Simches Research Building CPZN 5.830
185 Cambridge St
Boston, MA 02114
Tel: 617-726-5724
Fax: 617-726-5735
Email: gusella@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
Visit my lab page here.



My laboratory is focused on understanding nervous system disease using molecular genetic strategies, beginning with human patients and proceeding through in vitro and modeling studies, with the ultimate goal of improving diagnosis, management and treatment. In any given disorder, the research can usually be divided into four sequential stages:

1. Determination of the chromosomal location of a gene defect, susceptibility gene or genetic modifier, usually based on linkage or association studies with polymorphic genetic markers or delineation of structural rearrangements.
2. Identification of the gene responsible for the phenotypic effect based upon its chromosomal location by integrating a variety of genomic strategies.
3. Characterization of the mechanism of action based upon analysis of the allelic versions of the culprit gene in man, and in appropriate in vitro or in vivo model systems, including cultured human cells, genetically engineered mice, and lower organisms such as Drosophila and Dictyostelium.
4. Exploration of the potential for rational therapies, including genetic therapies.

We are currently searching for modifier genes for Huntington’s disease and neurofibromatosis and, in part with the Developmental Genome Anatomy Project, we are identifying genes at breakpoints of balanced translocations associated with developmental abnormality. Finally, we are examining the mechanism of pathogenesis of genetic defects in autism, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and neurofibromatosis, using both iPS cells and model organisms, as we persue assays to identify genetic and chemical modifiers, with the ultimate goal of contributing to effective rational therapies.






















































































































Last Update: 9/12/2013



Publications

For a complete listing of publications click here.

 

 

Myre MA, Lumsden AL, Thompson MN, Wasco W, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF. Deficiency of huntingtin has pleiotropic effects in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. PLoS Genet. 2011 Apr;7(4):e1002052. Epub 2011 Apr 28. PubMed PMID: 21552328; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3084204.

Chiang C, Jacobsen JC, Ernst C, Hanscom C, Heilbut A, Blumenthal I, Mills RE, Kirby A, Lindgren AM, Rudiger SR, McLaughlan CJ, Bawden CS, Reid SJ, Faull RL, Snell RG, Hall IM, Shen Y, Ohsumi TK, Borowsky ML, Daly MJ, Lee C, Morton CC, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF, Talkowski ME. Complex reorganization and predominant non-homologous repair following chromosomal breakage in karyotypically balanced germline rearrangements and transgenic integration. Nat Genet. 2012 Mar 4;44(4):390-7, S1. doi: 10.1038/ng.2202. PubMed PMID: 22388000; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3340016.

Lee JM, Gillis T, Mysore JS, Ramos EM, Myers RH, Hayden MR, Morrison PJ, Nance M, Ross CA, Margolis RL, Squitieri F, Griguoli A, Di Donato S, Gomez-Tortosa E, Ayuso C, Suchowersky O, Trent RJ, McCusker E, Novelletto A, Frontali M, Jones R, Ashizawa T, Frank S, Saint-Hilaire MH, Hersch SM, Rosas HD, Lucente D, Harrison MB, Zanko A, Abramson RK, Marder K, Sequeiros J, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF. Common SNP-based haplotype analysis of the 4p16.3 Huntington disease gene region. Am J Hum Genet. 2012 Mar 9;90(3):434-44. Epub 2012 Mar 1. PubMed PMID: 22387017; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3309179.

Lee JM, Ramos EM, Lee JH, Gillis T, Mysore JS, Hayden MR, Warby SC, Morrison P, Nance M, Ross CA, Margolis RL, Squitieri F, Orobello S, Di Donato S, Gomez-Tortosa E, Ayuso C, Suchowersky O, Trent RJ, McCusker E, Novelletto A, Frontali M, Jones R, Ashizawa T, Frank S, Saint-Hilaire MH, Hersch SM, Rosas HD, Lucente D, Harrison MB, Zanko A, Abramson RK, Marder K, Sequeiros J, Paulsen JS; PREDICT-HD study of the Huntington Study Group (HSG), Landwehrmeyer GB; REGISTRY study of the European Huntington's Disease Network, Myers RH; HD-MAPS Study Group, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF; COHORT study of the HSG. CAG repeat expansion in Huntington disease determines age at onset inMyre MA, Lumsden AL, Thompson MN, Wasco W, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF. Deficiency of huntingtin has pleiotropic effects in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. PLoS Genet. 2011 Apr;7(4):e1002052. Epub 2011 Apr 28. PubMed PMID: 21552328; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3084204.

Chiang C, Jacobsen JC, Ernst C, Hanscom C, Heilbut A, Blumenthal I, Mills RE, Kirby A, Lindgren AM, Rudiger SR, McLaughlan CJ, Bawden CS, Reid SJ, Faull RL, Snell RG, Hall IM, Shen Y, Ohsumi TK, Borowsky ML, Daly MJ, Lee C, Morton CC, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF, Talkowski ME. Complex reorganization and predominant non-homologous repair following chromosomal breakage in karyotypically balanced germline rearrangements and transgenic integration. Nat Genet. 2012 Mar 4;44(4):390-7, S1. doi: 10.1038/ng.2202. PubMed PMID: 22388000; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3340016.

Lee JM, Gillis T, Mysore JS, Ramos EM, Myers RH, Hayden MR, Morrison PJ, Nance M, Ross CA, Margolis RL, Squitieri F, Griguoli A, Di Donato S, Gomez-Tortosa E, Ayuso C, Suchowersky O, Trent RJ, McCusker E, Novelletto A, Frontali M, Jones R, Ashizawa T, Frank S, Saint-Hilaire MH, Hersch SM, Rosas HD, Lucente D, Harrison MB, Zanko A, Abramson RK, Marder K, Sequeiros J, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF. Common SNP-based haplotype analysis of the 4p16.3 Huntington disease gene region. Am J Hum Genet. 2012 Mar 9;90(3):434-44. Epub 2012 Mar 1. PubMed PMID: 22387017; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3309179.

Lee JM, Ramos EM, Lee JH, Gillis T, Mysore JS, Hayden MR, Warby SC, Morrison P, Nance M, Ross CA, Margolis RL, Squitieri F, Orobello S, Di Donato S, Gomez-Tortosa E, Ayuso C, Suchowersky O, Trent RJ, McCusker E, Novelletto A, Frontali M, Jones R, Ashizawa T, Frank S, Saint-Hilaire MH, Hersch SM, Rosas HD, Lucente D, Harrison MB, Zanko A, Abramson RK, Marder K, Sequeiros J, Paulsen JS; PREDICT-HD study of the Huntington Study Group (HSG), Landwehrmeyer GB; REGISTRY study of the European Huntington's Disease Network, Myers RH; HD-MAPS Study Group, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF; COHORT study of the HSG. CAG repeat expansion in Huntington disease determines age at onset in a fully dominant fashion. Neurology. 2012 Mar 6;78(10):690-5. Epub 2012 Feb 8. PubMed PMID: 22323755; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3306163.

Talkowski ME, Rosenfeld JA, Blumenthal I, Pillalamarri V, Chiang C, Heilbut A, Ernst C, Hanscom C, Rossin E, Lindgren AM, Pereira S, Ruderfer D, Kirby A, Ripke S, Harris DJ, Lee JH, Ha K, Kim HG, Solomon BD, Gropman AL, Lucente D, Sims K, Ohsumi TK, Borowsky ML, Loranger S, Quade B, Lage K, Miles J, Wu BL, Shen Y, Neale B, Shaffer LG, Daly MJ, Morton CC, Gusella JF. Sequencing chromosomal abnormalities reveals neurodevelopmental loci that confer risk across diagnostic boundaries. Cell. 2012 Apr 27;149(3):525-37. Epub 2012 Apr 19. PubMed PMID: 22521361; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3340505.

Talkowski ME, Rosenfeld JA, Blumenthal I, Pillalamarri V, Chiang C, Heilbut A, Ernst C, Hanscom C, Rossin E, Lindgren AM, Pereira S, Ruderfer D, Kirby A, Ripke S, Harris DJ, Lee JH, Ha K, Kim HG, Solomon BD, Gropman AL, Lucente D, Sims K, Ohsumi TK, Borowsky ML, Loranger S, Quade B, Lage K, Miles J, Wu BL, Shen Y, Neale B, Shaffer LG, Daly MJ, Morton CC, Gusella JF. Sequencing chromosomal abnormalities reveals neurodevelopmental loci that confer risk across diagnostic boundaries. Cell. 2012 Apr 27;149(3):525-37. Epub 2012 Apr 19. PubMed PMID: 22521361; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3340505.



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