Cellular Stress

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Neurological disorders (e.g, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and related dementias) affect over 500,000 Canadians and cost the healthcare system ~$10 billion per year, representing a significant emotional and economic drain on the entire Canadian population. These diseases are caused by abnormal and toxic protein clumping in the brains of affected individuals, leading to memory loss, confusion, and impaired motor function. How and why these aggregates form is an important question that may provide insights into prevention and treatment. Scientists are struggling to find genes or environmental factors associated with the development of these neurological disorders. Dr. Timothy Audas studies a natural, reversible counterpart to these toxic clumps, where nearly identical protein aggregates form rapidly and disassemble in response to specific environmental signals. His team is using cultured mammalian cells and model organisms (e.g. fruit flies and yeast) to understand how this basic biological pathway works. Their goal is to: (1) determine which proteins aggregate under specific conditions, (2) decipher how these natural protein clumps help cells survive harsh stress treatments, and (3) identify molecules and drugs that can control this aggregation process. By learning more about this cellular pathway Dr. Audas' team will enhance our understanding of cell adaptability, and potentially generate pharmaceutical avenues for the development of therapeutic remedies to treat those afflicted with debilitating neurological disorders.