Research Interests
1) Role of PrPC in epilepsy
Rapid progressive dementia such us fast Alzheimer’s disease or prionopathies are characterized by myoclonus and epilepsy. In humans, a decrease in the cellular prion protein PrPC can be observed in these diseases. In a collaboration between four laboratories (J.M. Torres (INIA), Giuseppe Legname (SISSA), Isidre Ferrer (UB) and Franc Llorens (Germany) we determined the role of PrPC in epilepsy. We determined that in absence of the protein neural excitability increases and neurons become more sensitive to kainate or glutamatergic insults. These effects can be seen in 4 different models of Prion diseases with different genetic background. Results were published in Scientific Reports.
2) Neurodegenerative diseases
We recently determined the role of a natural neural protein PrPC in the evolution of Alzheimer’s disease (published in Molecular Neurobiology). Results point to PrPC as neuroprotective factor in Alzheimer’s disease. Further experiments will continue in this direction, and also will be expanded to Parkinson’s disease. Our hypothesis is that PrPC is a cross-link protein between different neurodegenerative diseases presenting taupathy. In addition, we determined that the N-terminal domain of the protein is the responsible of these neuroprotective effects.
3) Development of new lab on a chip devices for neurobiological research
We recently developed a new device able to reproduce axon lesioning in vitro in a single chip (published in RSC Advances). Current experiments of our group in collaboration with groups of IBEC and CIBER-BBN aimed at developing new lab on chip devices to mimics and modulate particular neurobiological processes. For example: cortico-spinal chips to develop genetic studies; molecular gradient generation for migrating neurons and in silico 3D modeling for neurodegenerative diseases
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