TO ADVANCE FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGICAL STUDIES N eurodegenerative diseases slowly cause neurons and other brain cells to die, robbing those affected by the disease of their memory, mobility, and other important functions. This devastating class of diseases, which consists of hundreds of different types, affects tens of millions of people globally. Unfortunately, there are few effective treatments and no cures for neurodegenerative diseases to date. fundamental knowledge about the role the human genome plays in neurodegenerative diseases. A major challenge that the research team is currently addressing is the lack of brain-specific model systems. The team took various approaches to address this challenge, including creating new laboratory techniques that could benefit others in the field. By collaborating with some of the world’s leading
brain anatomists, Myers’ lab analyzes postmortem brain samples from individuals with or without various neuro- psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases to identify biological differences between the two. They are also pushing the forefront of laboratory techniques to grow specific types of human neurons in a dish in the lab, a feat that has historically been extremely difficult. Having human neurons in the lab allows the research team to perform cutting-edge genetic tests on human cells more easily, without needing brain samples. Through studying brain tissue from individuals with neurodegenerative diseases, Myers’ lab hopes to identify gene candidates and risk factors for diseases such as Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), ALS, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Such studies have helped identify genes involved in several of these disorders.
Researchers must have an intimate knowledge of the molecular underpinnings of these insidious diseases to understand how to treat and cure them. Over the past de- cade, researchers found many neurodegenerative diseas- es are caused by genetic factors, although the exact genes involved have not been elucidated for many of them. In addition, researchers predict that many of these diseases likely have more than one genetic cause or a combination of genetic and environmental causes. HudsonAlpha faculty investigator Rick Myers, PhD , and his lab focus their efforts on foundational human genomics, diving into the human genome to understand how changes contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, as well as basic biological processes. Like most foundational genomic labs, Myers and his team rely on experimental models, like cells or simple model organisms, to gain
Myers’ lab hopes to identify gene candidates and risk factors for diseases such as Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), ALS, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
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