Research

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Our research aims to decipher the genetic, cellular, and molecular basis of protein misfolding, the dysfunction of cellular protein quality control, and aging, in neurodegenerative diseases. Protein misfolding in neurodegenerative disease refers to the manifestation of aberrant, often aggregated protein species found in affected neurons. Protein quality control defines all cellular systems that regulate the proper synthesis, maintenance, and degradation of proteins. Protein misfolding and dysfunctional cellular protein quality control systems are strongly associated with most neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and ALS. Yet the biological mechanism underpinning these diseases remain mostly unclear. To tackle this problem we apply an innovative experimental approach harnessing the power of model systems, such as yeast, mammalian cells, and rodents, with pathological studies using human specimen in close collaborations with other research teams.