Biomedical sciences
Host Department
Department of Biomedical Sciences
Biomedical sciences
Research Topic B
Abstract of the proposed UNIPhD research project
Mutations of Presenilin 2 (PS2) associated with familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) lead to reduced mitochondrial Ca2+ signal and impaired ATP synthesis making neurons unable to cope with glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Similar changes in Ca2+ dynamics are also seen in astrocytes of FAD mouse models suggesting a role of altered mitochondrial bioenergetics in the disease-related neuroinflammation. This project investigates the role of mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling and ER-mitochondria cross-talk in neuronal excitotoxicity and in driving the reactivity of astrocytes and microglia in FAD.
Short bio
Neha Kachappilly is a BS-MS graduate in Biology from IISER Thiruvananthapuram, India. For her Master’s research project, she studied the aggregation of alpha-synuclein, the protein associated with Parkinson’s and a few other neurodegenerative diseases. She has always been interested in research into the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, and is hoping to contribute towards the development of better therapeutics for handling these diseases. As a PhD student in Prof. Pizzo’s group, she will work on understanding the role of mitochondrial bioenergetics in neuronal excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation associated with familial Alzheimer’s disease.
