Welcome to our lab’s website.
We are a group of dedicated
scientists who share a common passion to make a significant contribution to better understand neurodegenerative diseases and
neurological disorders.
Our research concerns the molecular mechanisms that guide neurons in the dense meshwork of the brain, that enables connections between neurons, and that brings about neuronal degeneration following various insults.
We take a multidisciplinary approach
in our research, employing cutting edge techniques, particularly x-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, biochemical experiments, live cell cultures and in vivo functional assays.
Research
Molecular mechanisms of neurogenesis and neurodegeneration
During development, billions of neurons must find accurate pathways in the brain in order to form trillions of neuronal circuits enabling us to enjoy cognitive, sensory and emotional wellbeing. To achieve this remarkable precision, migrating neurons and their axon processes use special protein receptors that sense the environment around them and guide the way on the right path. Equally important are special neuronal mechanisms that eliminate axons and neurons in the course of development and in response to various insults such as in neurodegenerative diseases, head and spinal injuries, and viral infections.
Our goal is to gain a mechanistic understanding at the molecular level of neuronal guidance, connectivity, and degeneration.
To achieve this, we apply a complementary set of state-of-the-art structural, biochemical, cellular, and in vivo approaches, which together reveal the mechanistic basis for the function - and new strategies for the pharmacological modulation of the investigated proteins.
