Bill Harris (neuroscientist)

Bill Harris is a neuroscientist primarily known for his research on axon guidance and neuronal development. He investigates the molecular mechanisms that guide axons to their correct targets during the formation of the nervous system. His work has contributed significantly to the understanding of how neural circuits are established and how disruptions in these processes can lead to developmental disorders.

Harris received his Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego. He held positions at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Oxford before joining the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Bristol, where he is currently a Professor.

His research utilizes a variety of techniques, including molecular biology, cell biology, and live imaging, to study the development of the visual system in Xenopus laevis (African clawed frog) embryos, a model organism widely used in developmental neuroscience. He has published extensively in leading scientific journals.

Key areas of research focus include:

• Retinal ganglion cell axon guidance: How retinal ganglion cell axons navigate from the eye to the brain during development.
• Chemoattractant and chemorepellent molecules: The role of molecules like netrins, slits, and semaphorins in guiding axon growth cones.
• Growth cone dynamics: The mechanisms that control the movement and turning of growth cones at the tip of growing axons.
• Target selection: How axons choose their correct target cells in the brain.