Defining key molecular pathways in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration

The Krainc Laboratory

The overarching goal of our research is to define the key molecular pathways in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease. Using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) differentiated into neurons, we study cellular dysfunction of endolysosomal and mitochondrial pathways in genetic models of Parkinson’s (α-synuclein, LRRK2, VPS35, ATP13A2, PINK1, parkin, DJ-1 and GBA1), as well as the cellular mechanisms involved in Huntington’s disease and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) pathogenesis. We aim to advance patient-specific approaches to therapeutic development, including development of new technologies for iPSCs to examine selective neuronal vulnerability. We focus on identification of converging pathogenic pathways to identify key targets for therapeutic development in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.

Lab Leadership

Dimitri Krainc, MD
Chair, Department of Neurology
Director, Simpson Querrey Center for Neurogenetics
Aaron Montgomery Ward Professor

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The Latest from the Lab

September 2023 Updates

Georgia Minakaki selected as an Emerging Scholar Speaker and presents “A Genome-Wide CRISPR Interference Screen Reveals Genetic Modifiers of Lysosomal Glucocerebrosidase Activity” at the American Neurological Association Conference in Philadelphia. Congratulations, Georgia!

September 2023 Updates

Pingping Song publishes in Neuron with Wesley Peng, Daniel Ysselstein, Talia Krainc, Yvette Wong, Niccolo Mencacci, and Dimitri Krainc: “Parkinson’s disease-linked parkin mutation disrupts recycling of synaptic vesicles in human dopaminergic neurons.”  Highlighted here.

September 2023 Updates

Georgia Minakaki and Nate Safren were Poster Award recipients at the annual American Neurological Society meeting. Twenty posters were selected amongst over 400 entries. Congratulations, Georgia and Nate! Announcement highlighted here.