Coordinators: Ina Vorberg and Donato Di Monte

German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.


Faculty (partial list):

Jeffery Kelly, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA

Lary Walker, Emory University, Atlanta, USA

Seung-Jae Lee, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea

Glenn Telling, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA



Misfolding of prion proteins, replication of the misfolded conformation, templated assembly and aggregate transmission are key events that underlie the unconventional infectivity of prions and their ability to cause progressive neurodegenerative pathology. "Prion-like protein aggregation", "prion-like seeding " and "prion-like spreading" are terms that have been increasingly used -and sometimes abused- over the past few years to characterize other proteins and pathogenetic processes linked to common human neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The possibility that prion-like mechanisms play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases bears far-reaching implications and, for this reason, extrapolations from one research field to another require detailed knowledge and careful evaluation. The purpose of the Course is to bridge across fields of protein-related neurodegenerative pathology, bringing together faculty with expertise in prion, tau and beta-amyloid (Alzheimer's) and alpha-synuclein (Parkinson's) research. Similarities and differences will be critically analyzed from the biochemical, pathological and clinical standpoints, and current in vitro and in vivo experimental models, which are used to study protein behavior and to mimic disease features, will be reviewed in depth.



Joint Course with the DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn (D)