M.D.-Ph.D. Student
aeaday@utmb.edu
Research interest:
I am a third year MD/PhD student starting my PhD in Dr. Kayed’s and Dr. Montalbano’s labs. I am studying protein aggregation in Alzheimer’s disease, characterizing the interplay between tau and RNA-binding proteins in disease progression. I am interesting in neurodegeneration, neuro-oncology, immunology, and translational research and hope to pursue a career in neurosurgery and/or neuro-oncology.
Postdoctoral Fellow
faalshae@utmb.edu
Research interest:
My research focuses on senescence, immunotherapy, and the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. I investigate senescence in glial cells and its correlation with neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Additionally, I explore the impact of different ApoE allelic genetic backgrounds on tau oligomers in AD pathogenesis and study immunotherapeutic approaches for halting AD-related pathological changes. I utilize molecular techniques and advanced microscopy in both primary neuronal cultures and transgenic mouse models.
Postdoctoral Fellow
nebhatt@utmb.edu
Research interest:
As protein aggregation is one of the driving factors of neurogenerative diseases, my interest lies in understanding the various aggregation mechanisms of disease-relevant proteins using biochemical assays, biophysical analyses, cell culture, animal models and human tissue.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research interest:My focus is on tau oligomeric strains in Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced neurodegeneration and I also investigate early and late intervention in tau oligomer-targeted immunotherapy (single and combinational) in Alzheimer’s disease mouse models to reverse or slow down neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. I use electrophysiology and animal behavior techniques to assess the changes in neuronal transmission and memory and motor functions in several Wildtype and transgenic mouse model.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research interest:Chronic inflammation in the brain is a pathological feature of tauopathies and associated with dementia development. My research interests involve the development of a comprehensive understanding of inflammation regulation by endogenous molecules (e.g. tau oligomers) and fine-tune the inflammation to promote cognitive recovery or prevent the disease progression. I use experimental mouse models, cell culture, and human’s postmortem tissues as model systems.
Postdoctoral Fellow
mdhaque@utmb.edu
Research interest:
My project focus is on the investigation of protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions, as well as the development of potential therapeutics against polymorphic tau oligomers. We use isothermal titration calorimetry, immunoblotting, and Bio-SAXS to develop specific small molecules drug/antibodies against pathogenic forms of tau.
Research Scientist
sheekhan@utmb.edu
Research interest:
My research focuses on identifying strategies to modulate the aggregation behavior of toxic tau species, amyloid beta, synuclein, TDP43, and p53 using small molecules and understanding the mechanisms underlying protein misfolding and aggregation leading to neurodegenerative disease and its progression.
Protein aggregation; protein biochemistry; protein structure; protein biophysics; molecular biology
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research interest:My research interests lie in the role of protein aggregation and misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases and the potential of small molecules in targeting and/or modulating the aggregation states of toxic tau oligomers and the mechanisms underlying the diseases progression. Protein Aggregation; Protein Biochemistry; Protein Structure; Protein Biophysics; Molecular Biology.
Postdoctoral Fellow
dalynch@utmb.edu
Research interest:
Dr. Lynch’s primary research focus is on the aggregation of the p53 protein in neurodegenerative diseases. He is interested in determining the role that p53 has in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, how p53 interacts with tau protein, and the effect that p53 aggregates have on neural cells.
Assistant Professor
mamontal@utmb.edu
Research interest:
My focus is on the pathogenesis RNA-Binding Proteins (RBPs) like Musashi and TDP-43 and their progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. I use molecular approaches and advanced microscopies in cellular models, transgenic mice, and post-mortem brain tissues.
PhD Candidate
Research interest:My project analyzes antibody biologics as therapeutic agents to target and bind polymorphic alpha synuclein oligomers. Methods such as immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, cellular assays, protein biochemistry, and behavioral assays will be used to determine the role of polymorphic alpha synuclein oligomers in the pathological implications and behavioral phenotypes associated with synucleinopathies.
PhD Candidate
nmmoreno@utmb.edu
Research interest:
Neurodegenerative disease pathology and mechanisms; molecular mechanisms underlying tau oligomer toxicity and propagation; molecular mechanisms underlying memory impairments observed in neurodegeneration; synaptic plasticity.
Postdoctoral Fellow
sujpark@utmb.edu
Research interest:
My project focuses on the distinction of tau oligomeric polymorphs using antibodies or small molecules. This work aims to modulate the toxic aggregates of tau in an early stage for potential diagnosis or therapeutic intervention. I use biochemical and structural approaches as well as a lot of novel imaging tools.
Postdoctoral Fellow
nipuangm@utmb.edu
Research interest:
My research of interest is to understand the role of post-translational modifications on tau oligomer pathogenesis and to identify the internalization mechanisms of brain-derived tau oligomers from various neurodegenerative diseases using primary neuronal cultures, human and mouse brain tissues.
Postdoctoral Fellow
alsciort@utmb.edu
Research interest:
Understanding misfolding and aggregation of proteins in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on tau and TDP-43, using in vitro and in vivo (mouse models) approaches.
Postdoctoral Fellow
susenapa@utmb.edu
Research interest:
Numerous studies have highlighted the co-occurrence of -synuclein and tau pathology in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). My research aims to understand the role of tau proteins in the progression of these conditions. Using a combination of in vitro and in vivo models, including transgenic mice, alongside biochemical assays, cell cultures, human tissue, and animal studies. I am investigating the interaction between tau and other pathological proteins like -synuclein. The goal is to unravel the mechanisms driving neurodegeneration, ultimately developing new strategies for early diagnosis and treatment of these debilitating diseases.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Research interest:My broad research interest is to study the role of tau oligomers and other amyloid oligomers such as α-Synuclein and Amyloid β and their potential synergism in neurodegenerative diseases to actively accelerate the transition of basic research findings into clinical trials for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Protein biochemistry; Protein biophysics; Cell biology techniques; Microscopy; Grant writing.
