New thesis investigates the relationship between autophagy and amyloid-β and tau proteins in Alzheimer's disease
Hi Johanna Mayer, doctoral student at the Division of Neurogeriatrics. On June 17 you will defend your thesis "The role of autophagy in Aβ and tau metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease ". What is the main focus of the thesis?
We aim to better understand the mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease. In Alzheimer's, harmful proteins accumulate, and the cellular recycling system, called autophagy, malfunctions. This thesis investigates the relationship between autophagy and amyloid-β and tau proteins in Alzheimer's disease.
Which are the most important results?
We discovered that mouse models of amyloid-β pathology exhibit similar autophagy dysfunctions as observed in human Alzheimer's disease brains, making them valuable for studying the disease. Additionally, in a cell culture model, we showed that inhibiting autophagy altered the intracellular transport and processing of the amyloid-β precursor protein. In a mouse model of tau pathology, genetic deletion of autophagy worsened disease progression and memory impairment.
How can this new knowledge contribute to the improvement of people's health?
Our findings highlight the crucial role of functional autophagy in counteracting Alzheimer's disease. These results can assist other researchers in developing new strategies to modulate autophagy as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
What's in the future for you? Will you continue to conduct research?
During my PhD, I discovered my passion for science communication and I am eager to follow that path to promote the accessibility of scientific advancements and improve people’s lives.