Postdoctoral Seminars:
1. Dr Eugenia Ferreiro (Falkner Lab)
2. Dr Adekunle Bademosi (Walker Lab)
Title of first talk: L1 retrotransposons and their role in inflammation-mediated neurotoxicity
Dr Eugenia Ferreiro
LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposons are the only autonomously active transposable element in the human genome. Following a “copy and paste” mechanism, L1 sequences have accumulated across evolutionary time, now comprising ~20% of the human genome. L1 is expressed and able to mobilise in human neurons, although its contributions to neuronal physiology and neurodegeneration remain unclear.
In this work, we are exploring the role of L1 retrotransposons in dopaminergic (DA) neurons, in particular those vulnerable in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). We provide evidence that L1 is expressed in human DA neurons and that its expression levels correlate with inflammatory markers in a PD model of neurodegeneration. Due to its proposed role as biomarker and as a potential therapeutic intervention, we aim to resolve the highly relevant question of L1’s actual contribution in neurodegenerative conditions.
Title of second talk: Unravelling Protein Aggregation Mechanisms in MND and PD
Neurodegenerative diseases such as motor neuron disease (MND) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are marked by abnormal protein accumulation, yet the triggers of this process remain unclear. In MND, TDP-43 mislocalisation occurs in nearly all cases, while in PD, recent genetic studies have linked risk to variants in the synaptic protein EndophilinA. Using nanoscale single-molecule imaging, we found that MND-linked mutations and post-translational modifications reduce TDP-43 mobility, whereas GU-rich RNA can restore its dynamics. In transgenic Drosophila, the PD-associated EndophilinA variant formed large, non-functional protein clusters, impairing autophagy and leading to neuronal death. These results suggest that altered protein confinement directly disrupts function, revealing a common mechanism that may underlie neurodegeneration in both MND and PD.
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.
