Seminars

Protein aggregates are associated with many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. While there is considerable evidence for protein aggregates being toxic, the molecular details and mechanism of toxicity/neurodegeneration are ambiguous. Is it the aggregate itself or the deleterious loss of an important physiological function of a protein when it aggregates? I will present data investigating these possibilities using the protein a-Synuclein found to be aggregated in Synucleinopathies.
       We will also explore what might be the physiological function of alpha-synuclein and thus how this may be altered in disease. Overall, I would like to encourage discussion around what might be useful strategies for early interventions for disease therapy.