Ajou University School of Medicine
Department of Biomedical Sciences
Accumulation of various types of abnormal/unwanted intracellular substances is one of the main causes of the development of various neurological disorders. Autophagy is a fundamental intracellular process for clearance of unwanted or damaged materials accumulated in the cell. One of our group’s main interests is to identify the relationship between autophagy and diseases at the molecular level. We are also interested in diagnosis of autophagy-related neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Although AD is the most common neurodegenerative disease, there are still no drugs available to treat or prevent AD effectively. PD is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, and symptoms of PD begins to appear only after a loss of significant numbers of nerve cells at the affected brain region. Therefore, it is critical to start the appropriate medical intervention at the early stage of AD or PD.
We are especially interested in selective autophagy that regulates the degradation of specific proteins or intracellular organelles. More precisely, we aim to suggest new approaches for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases by gaining a better understanding of the detailed mechanisms of various types of selective autophagy, and investigating their relationships with the pathogenic mechanisms of these diseases. In addition, we aim to identify various types of novel biomarker for early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases lacking therapies, such as AD and PD, and to develop diagnostic techniques using these biomarkers. The ultimate objective of our research is to establish clinically applicable, practical treatment strategies for autophagy-related diseases.
I. Basic Biomedical Research on Autophagy
Autophagy와의 연관성 연구를 통한 다양한 질환의 근본적인 원인 규명
- 생명 현상의 이해를 통해 분자 수준에서 병인을 찾고자 하는 기전 중심의 연구
- 연구 중인 질환
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AD (Alzheimer's Disease)
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PD (Parkinson's Disease)
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ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
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HSP (Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia)
II. Translational Biomedical Research related to Autophagy
뇌질환 분자 Biomarker 발굴 및 진단법 개발
- 뇌질환 환자의 다양한 종류의 인체 자원 분석을 통한 기술 개발 연구
- 대상 질환
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AD (Alzheimer's Disease)
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PD (Parkinson's Disease)