DWIH: Alzheimer’s Related Disorders and Autophagy

In the last three decades researchers have learned a great deal about the biochemistry of the proteins and mechanisms associated with Alzheimer’s and related neurodegenerative disorders. Strong evidence suggests that a disturbance of protein homeostasis in the neurons of the brain ultimately leads to neuronal dysfunction and degeneration.

In recent years, autophagy, which is the intracellular degradation process responsible for the clearance of cellular junk, non-functional proteins and organelles that disturb cell structure and function, particularly in neurons, has gained a lot of attention in Alzheimer ’s research. The 2016 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was even awarded to the Japanese researcher Yoshinori Ohsumi for his uncovering of the key mechanisms of autophagy.

The workshop on “Alzheimer’s, Related Disorders and Autophagy” brings together a small group of experts from the U.S. and Germany for a day of scientific exchange on the topics of neurodegeneration and autophagy. These experts will present their data and opinions on the importance and relevance of autophagy on neurodegeneration to a group of interested students, an informed audience as well as invited colleagues, and a constructive discussion is expected. This day of German-American scientific exchange will address current scientific knowledge with an eye on addressing whether the targeting of autophagy is an effective prevention or therapy for Alzheimer’s and related disorders in the future.

This event is aimed at young researchers and students working in related fields. To learn more about the event and workshop registration, go to the workshop website.

The workshop is chaired by

Christian Behl, PhD, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and

Ralph Nixon, MD, PhD, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatry and NYU Langone Medical Center