UNF receives NIH grant to investigate a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s

The National Institutes of Health has recently granted $740K to the University of North Florida to investigate a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's. This work could pave the way for future therapeutic breakthroughs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list Alzheimer's as the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

The study, led by Dr. Szymon Ciesielski, assistant professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry, will investigate the molecular machinery preventing and mitigating protein misfolding and clumping. His team will delve into the mechanisms of action of specialized proteins, called molecular chaperones, that are the first line of defense against cellular malfunctions.

Proteins are composed of long chains of amino acids that need to be structured to function and must fold into precise three-dimensional shapes. When proteins misfold due to cellular stress, environmental factors or genetic mutations, they can clump together into toxic aggregates that disrupt normal cellular processes. Specific proteins can form a special type of such aggregates, which are linked to several neurodegenerative disorders.

Ciesielski will guide a team of UNF students to investigate how the components of the molecular chaperone system, namely Hsp70 and J-domain proteins, need to interact with each other to play a central role in the cellular defense mechanism. The study will provide hands-on research opportunities for the students, integrating advanced biochemical techniques and molecular modeling.

The long-term goal of the research is to provide detailed insights into the activity of molecular chaperones, allowing for the development of targeted therapies enhancing the cell's ability to manage misfolded proteins, potentially slowing or preventing the progression of devastating neurodegenerative diseases.