Dr. Piggott Receives NSF CAREER Development Award
National Science Foundation (NSF) Early Career Development (CAREER) Awards are among the most prestigious grants awarded by NSF and are made to support early career teacher-scholars whose work most effectively integrate research and education. Beverly Piggott, Assistant Professor at the University of Montana’s Division of Biological Sciences and Center for Structural and Functional Neuroscience, secured the $1.1 million dollar grant to investigate how cells adjust their own pH levels during brain formation. Human disorders ranging from Autism Spectrum Disorders to Alzheimer’s exhibit pH disturbances, so understanding cellular pH regulation has implications for these as well as other neurological conditions. Her research endeavors to unveil the impact of variations in acidity or alkalinity among neural stem cells on brain development and function, potentially elucidating their role in neurological disorders.
Neural stem cells, pivotal during early development, possess the remarkable ability to multiply, generating the multitude of nerve cells essential for brain function. Piggott's fascination with the brain's intricate electrical activity, which underpins processes like movement and cognition, propelled her towards investigating the role of proteins in cell membranes. These proteins, known as ion channels, serve as gateways, facilitating the flow of charged molecules and ultimately influencing neuron firing.
“We know that electrical activity facilitates neuronal firing and communication between brain regions. However, it’s less clear how electrical activity impacts the ability of stem cells to make neurons,” said Beverly Piggott.
Research investigations in the Piggott lab uncovered a surprising revelation: nerve cells (neurons) exhibit higher acidity levels than the neural stem cells that created them. This finding ignited her curiosity, prompting her to question the underlying mechanisms behind this discrepancy in pH balance. She focused her attention on proteins that regulate cellular pH levels. The Piggott lab identified that one particular family of pH regulatory proteins, Na+ (sodium) H+ (proton) exchangers (Nhe) were important for brain development. Human mutations in Nhe proteins cause developmental disorders like Christianson syndrome, which resembles both Autism Spectrum Disorders as well as epilepsy. How Nhe proteins influence pH during brain development remains unclear. “If we can understand how pH is regulated during brain formation, then we can determine if altered pH level causes developmental disorders and identify possible ways to counteract abnormal pH,” said Piggott. “Perhaps targeting pH regulation could be a new avenue for treatment of developmental disorders.”
Piggott's journey towards neuroscience research was a gradual evolution. Originally aspiring to become a medical doctor, she embarked on her academic path studying biochemistry and molecular biology during her undergraduate years at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire. However, her fascination with the brain's complex functions, led her to pivot towards neuroscience during her Ph.D. studies at the University of Michigan.
Now, armed with the NSF grant, Piggott plans to utilize fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) as a simpler model for studying the complexities of pH dynamics in neural stem cells. Fruit flies use many of the same neurological genes as humans, making them invaluable tools for unraveling the mysteries of the brain. Both humans and flies possess the pH regulatory proteins, Nhe. However humans have 9 and flies have only 3 making them an easier model to elucidate how these proteins influence pH levels in neural stem cells as they build the brain during development.
Originating from a small town in Wisconsin, Piggott's personal experiences have deeply influenced her dedication to neuroscience research and education. She attributes much of her passion to witnessing her mother's resilience in overcoming cancer multiple times with access to advanced medical treatments. “One of the reasons she survived them is because she had access to really good medical care and treatments that have advanced to more specifically treat her cancer with fewer side effects,” said Piggott. “Going through that I became aware of how powerful scientific advancements in medicine could be.”
Recognizing the transformative power of education, this grant is enabling Piggott to allocate a portion of the grant towards research education and community outreach initiatives. Currently, Piggott is designing a Developmental Neuroscience Research course that will offer students hands-on experience in her lab, fostering a new generation of neuroscience researchers. Additionally, a public exhibit at UM's spectrUM Discovery area in Missoula Public Library is underway to captivate children's curiosity about neuroscience.