Structural Neurobiology

Determining the structure-activity relationships of neuronal proteins at the molecular level is required for the detailed understanding of their function.

Many neurological diseases are caused by mutations within a single protein, and thus understanding how these changes modulate protein structure and function is paramount to understanding disease mechanisms and progression. Investigators in our department use X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, multi-photon and second harmonic microscopy to understand the function of proteins with single molecule/atomic resolution. Specific areas of emphasis are molecular chaperones, synaptic proteins, and proteins involved in neurodegeneration.