Seminar Series: Multifactorial pathways link neural function and disease from flies to humans
The focus of the seminar will be on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, a motor neuron disease) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and the identification of a gene called sec20/Bnip1 as a risk for ALS-FTD. I will show how loss of function of Bnip1/Sec20 causes the disease via multifactorial aetiologias such as loss of neurons, autophagy-mitophagy defects and loss of synaptic transmission. I will present results from our humanized fly model of ALS/FTD as well patient samples. Towards the end, I will show a few slides on our Alzheimer’s work including the identification of blood-based biomarkers for AD and general dementia, opening up new avenues for diagnosis, research and drug discoveries. The seminar will provide a brief description of the overall research program of my lab such as stem cells and their asymmetric division, axon guidance, etc.
Durrell Peaden Auditorium