Research/Areas of Interest:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that results in loss of memory and cognitive function, eventually leading to dementia. A key neuropathological event in AD is the cerebral accumulation of senile plaques formed by aggregates of amyloid-beta-peptides derived from serial proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein by BACE1 and gamma-secretase. Our studies have revealed a novel mechanism of BACE1 regulation mediated by the BACE1-interacting molecule GGA3. We are probing the molecular mechanisms with a long range goal of understanding AD pathogenesis.
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Florence, Florence, Italy, 1999
- Doctor of Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy, 1989