Dr Arne Ittner - Flinders University, Adelaide : "Protein kinases, tau phosphorylation and Alzheimer’s disease"
Speaker:
Dr Arne Ittner
Senior Research Fellow in Neuroscience
College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, South Australia
Title: "Protein kinases, tau phosphorylation and Alzheimer’s disease"
The microtubule-associated protein tau is prominently involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Tau is a target of protein kinases and is progressively hyperphosphorylated at multiple sites, contributing to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and cognitive decline in AD. Site-specific phosphorylation of tau by a member of the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family controls protein interactions and signals downstream of tau. Thus, site-specific phosphorylation can confer unique functions of tau. Most recently, our team extended this work to therapeutic concepts as well as to a broad approach to understand how site-specific and hyperphosphorylation of tau are connected. We define mechanisms that link site-specific and tau multi-site phosphorylation, identifying potential ways to interfere with tau hyperphosphorylation. Moreover, we determined the protein interactome of tau in the mouse brain using proximity labelling, gaining new insights into physiologic roles of tau in synapse biology and learning. We believe this research will advance concepts of protein kinases and tau in memory function and dementia.
About Neuroscience Seminars
Neuroscience seminars at the QBI play a major role in the advancement of neuroscience in the Asia-Pacific region. The primary goal of these seminars is to promote excellence in neuroscience through the exchange of ideas, establishing new collaborations and augmenting partnerships already in place.
Seminars in the QBI Auditorium on Level 7 are held on Wednesdays at 12-1pm, which are sometimes simulcast on Zoom (with approval from the speaker). We also occassionally hold seminars from international speakers via Zoom. The days and times of these seminars will vary depending on the time zone of the speaker. Please see each seminar listed below for details.
