News and Events | Page 10 | Helen & Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute

Congratulations! Second R01 from the NIH Awarded to Dr. Anna Orr’s team

Mitochondria are organelles that produce energy and participate in normal intracellular signaling. However, they also release free radicals that can impair neural cells and promote disorders of the brain. The main contributing factors in dementia, including aging and proteinopathy, are linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and accumulation of free radicals. Recent evidence suggests that mitochondrial free radicals act as central drivers of diverse pathogenic processes in dementia. Dr. Orr’s...

Congratulations! New R01 from NIH awarded to Dr. Wenjie Luo

DAP12 (also called TYROBP) acts as an adaptor protein in microglia involved in the cross-interaction of signaling networks of microglial surface immune receptors, including AD risk gene TREM2. DAP12 has been implicated as a central player in an AD-associated microglia specific module. Dr. Luo will investigate the functions of DAP12 in regulating microglia-mediated tau metabolism and inflammation and dissect the molecular and cellular mechanism underpinning these activities.

Congratulations! New R01 from NIH Awarded to Dr. Anna Orr

TDP-43 is a nucleic acid-binding protein linked to neurodegenerative disorders, but its roles in non-neuronal cells like astrocytes are poorly understood. The proposed research will examine how astrocytic TDP-43 affects glial-neuronal interactions and cognitive impairments. These studies will unravel novel intracellular and intercellular molecular mechanisms underlying cognitive deficits in neurodegenerative disease and may reveal promising therapeutic strategies for TDP-43-related pathology...

Congratulations! Debra Abramov from Burré lab has received a NRSA F30 fellowship from the NICHD

Debra Abramov from the Burré Lab has received a NRSA F30 fellowship from the NICHD, to investigate how Munc18-1 mutations disrupt syntaxin-5 stability and general secretory trafficking.

Despite a known genetic cause, no effective treatments exist for Munc18-1 related disorders, which cause intractable epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, and other severe neurologic symptoms in children. The aim of my proposal is to investigate the non-synaptic neuronal deficits that are caused by...

Congratulations! New R01 Awarded to Dr. Jacqueline Burré

Dr. Burrés team will investigate the impact of synaptic vesicle-binding of alpha-synuclein on alpha-synuclein function and neuron survival, using rationally designed variants of alpha-synuclein that stabilize synaptic vesicle-binding. Their study will determine if stabilizing binding of alpha-synuclein on synaptic vesicles reduces alpha-synuclein toxicity and pathology, which will provide important insights into treatment strategies for Parkinson’s disease.