Alpha Synuclein, cellular dysfunction and Parkinson disease

National Institute On Aging

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Our work on a-synuclein is currently focussed on applying large scale screening approaches to understand the pathobiology associated with this protein, which is now known to not only be a marker of disease but also plays an active role in disease progression. In ongoing work, we have been probing the mechanism by which a-synuclein is taken up from one cell to another, a process that has been proposed to be important in the spread of disease between brain regions. We have currently developed reagents to knock down candidate transmembrane receptors in vivo to determine if any contribute to spread of a-synuclein and associated toxicity.