Daniel K. Hartline, Ph.D.
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Visiting Faculty, University of Hawaii Manoa
Neuroscience
Marine Conservation and Environmental Science
B.A., Swarthmore College, Physics, 1961
Ph.D., Harvard University, Biology, 1967
Director, Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology
Pacific Biosciences Research Center
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Myelin has been described as “the most dramatic saltation so far known in the evolution of neuroglia” in the vertebrates. However, it has also evolved independently in annelids and two groups of crustaceans: malacostraca and calanoid copepods. We use physiological, histological, developmental, and computational approaches to answer basic questions on structure-function relationships in invertebrates in order to understand the evolutionary origin of myelin and gain insights into its malfunction (e.g., multiple sclerosis) in humans.