Research in the Colognato Lab focuses on investigating the molecular mechanisms that control the development and function of oligodendroglia. Oligodendroglia are specialized glial cells that are crucial for neural networks in the brain and spinal cord to operate at maximum speed and efficiency. The lab has been uncovering how developing oligodendroglia interact with extracellular matrix proteins, both in their germinal niche as they transition from neural stem cells to specialized glia, as well as in the developing nerve tracts themselves, where final maturation and functional integration takes place. Also, several projects study the reparative ability of oligodendroglia in the adult brain, as the specialized myelin membranes that oligodendroglia produce are damaged and/or dysfunctional in many neurodegenerative conditions, including Multiple Sclerosis.