How abnormal alpha-synuclein shapes Lewy body and Alzheimer-related brain changes
Project II: Deciphering the Signatures of Pathological Changes on Alpha-Synuclein
Researchers are comparing abnormal alpha-synuclein from different brain conditions to learn how it damages brain cells in people with Lewy body disorders and Alzheimer-related changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184458 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have a Lewy body disorder (like dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s disease with dementia, or multiple system atrophy) or Alzheimer-related brain changes, this team is studying the abnormal protein alpha-synuclein taken from human brains. They purify and amplify Lewy bodies from donated human brain tissue and use high-resolution structural, biochemical, and cell-biology methods to compare protein shapes across diseases. Lab cell models and molecular tests will show how different alpha-synuclein forms enter cells and disrupt the cell's waste-clearance (lysosome) systems. The goal is to connect specific protein shapes to the types of brain damage and symptoms people experience.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would include people with Lewy body disorders (DLB, PD/PDD, MSA), people with Alzheimer disease who have mixed pathology, and individuals who can consent to brain donation for research.
Not a fit: People without neurodegenerative disease or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this primarily lab-based research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal disease-specific protein signatures that help diagnosis and point to new targets for treatments of Lewy body and Alzheimer-related dementias.
How similar studies have performed: Lab-made alpha-synuclein fibrils have been widely used to model disease but do not fully match human Lewy bodies, and amplifying human-derived Lewy bodies is a relatively new and promising approach.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Virginia M — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Lee, Virginia M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.