The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
McGovern Medical School
Department of Neurology

My research focuses on protein misfolding-associated neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and prion disorders. These diseases are characterized by the accumulation of misfolded proteins, including Aβ and Tau in AD, α-synuclein (αSyn) in PD, and prions in prion diseases. According to the prion principle, misfolded proteins propagate by templating the conversion of their native counterparts into pathogenic conformations, driving the spread of pathology and neurodegeneration. Despite extensive investigation, the mechanisms underlying neuronal death remain poorly understood, limiting the development of effective disease-modifying therapies.

My research aims to elucidate the mechanisms of protein misfolding, aggregation, propagation, and strain diversity. A major contribution from my previous work was the generation of infectious recombinant PrP^Sc from bacterially expressed recombinant PrP using a novel in vitro protein misfolding system containing cellular cofactors. This work established the essential role of cofactors in prion formation and provided a robust platform for investigating the structure, propagation, and pathogenicity of infectious prions. I subsequently demonstrated that recombinant PrP can adopt distinct misfolding pathways, producing conformationally unique aggregates with different biological properties and disease phenotypes. I have since extended these studies to other disease-associated proteins, including Aβ, Tau, and αSyn. My current research focuses on defining the structure-function relationships of protein conformational strains—structurally distinct, self-propagating conformations of the same misfolded protein that encode unique biological and pathological properties.

In addition to my research, I have mentored postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research staff in these areas, fostering their scientific and professional development.

PubMed

McGovern Medical School Faculty

Education & Training

PhD, The Ohio State University, 2008