RESEARCH DEFINING THE CAUSES OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE &
DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE TREATMENT STRATEGIES.  

Outlined below are some of the major disease areas that we study in the Center for NeuroGenetics. A major unifying theme is that many of these diseases are caused by DNA repeat expansions. Repeat expansions cause over 50 human diseases, and this list continues to grow as new mutations and diseases are discovered.

Disease Focus Areas

Myotonic Dystrophy (DM)

Myotonic dystrophy is part of a group of inherited disorders called muscular dystrophies. Although it is the most common form of muscular dystrophy, it also affects many other body systems, including the heart and brain.

Genetics

Huntington Disease (HD)

HD is a fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. It deteriorates a person’s physical and mental abilities usually during their prime working years and has no cure.

Fundamental Laboratory Research

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly; beginning with subtle memory loss and progressing relentlessly. AD ultimately involves higher cognitive functions, leading to complete incapacitation, and devastating consequences.

brain Cells dyed with shades of purple

Shared Techniques and Approaches

While our work mainly centers around specific neurodegenerative disease, some common techniques and approaches can be found throughout our work.

researcher holding up a vial to look at D-N-A in the lab

LabS in the CNG

Ranum Lab

Dr. Ranum studies the molecular genetics of neurodegenerative disease focusing on understanding the mechanisms and contribution of RAN proteins and the development of therapeutic strategies.

doctor ranum in the lab with Lien Nguyen

Fujii Lab

Dr. Fujii’s research unravels how neurodegeneration and disorders are promoted by the error protein synthesis, and how increasing the fidelity of protein synthesis will help to care for diseases. 

Group photo of the Fujii Lab

Swanson Lab

Dr. Swanson’s lab studies the regulation of RNA processing during mammalian development and aging and how this regulation is altered in neurodegenerative diseases.

a female lab member works on piping samples while doctor Swanson looks on

Wang Lab

Dr. Wang’s lab uses computational, molecular, and cellular approaches to study all aspects of gene regulation, with a focus on RNA processing and RNA localization in repeat expansion diseases.

Eric Wang oversees a lab tech analyzing samples under a microscope

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