The research in the Ma laboratory focuses on nerve branching, a key step in establishing synaptic connection during neural circuit development.  Nerve branches are associated with axons and dendrites and seen in almost every nerve cell, yet the mechanisms underlying their formation is not well understood.  How do branches form at the right time and in the right place?  How do they establish specific size and pattern?   How are they determined by genetic programs and influenced by environmental factors?  How do they remodel in response to experience or injury?  How are they affected in neurological disease, and how do they contribute to developmental disorders?  To explore these fundamental questions, the laboratory employs modern molecular, genetic and cell biological tools and studies the development nerve branching in dorsal root sensory neurons and cerebellar Purkinje cells.