Gerardo Morfini, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
Contact
Building & Room:
COMRB 7053
Office Phone:
Fax:
Lab
Building & Room:
COMRB 7048
Email:
Related Sites:
Interests Heading link
Kinase-based intracellular signaling. Pathogenic mechanisms in Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and motor neuron diseases.
About
Abnormal patterns of protein phosphorylation, increased activation of protein kinases and axonal degeneration represent major pathogenic features of neurons affected in a wide variety of neurological conditions including Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and motor neuron diseases. Significantly, our work revealed several neuropathogenic proteins that elicit abnormal activation of specific protein kinases in the axonal compartment. Based on these findings, our research program currently evaluates the contribution of selected protein kinases to axonal degeneration in vivo using various mouse models of human neurodegenerative diseases. Results from this work could provide a novel conceptual framework for the development of therapeutic strategies aimed to halt or reduce axonal pathology in human neurological diseases.