WEBVTT

NOTE duration: "00:04:27.475"


NOTE Confidence: 0.9937744

00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:07.859
The human brain has

NOTE Confidence: 0.9666748

00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:09.860
over a hundred trillion

NOTE Confidence: 0.98909503

00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:10.660
synapses.

NOTE Confidence: 0.9960124

00:00:11.840 --> 00:00:13.299
They're sort of the communication

NOTE Confidence: 0.9960124

00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:14.740
hub of the neuron.

NOTE Confidence: 0.99902344

00:00:15.394 --> 00:00:16.294
Any given neuron

NOTE Confidence: 0.965908

00:00:16.835 --> 00:00:18.595
may have an electrical signal

NOTE Confidence: 0.965908

00:00:18.595 --> 00:00:19.954
that goes down and then

NOTE Confidence: 0.965908

00:00:19.954 --> 00:00:21.335
it releases neurotransmitters

NOTE Confidence: 0.9639178

00:00:21.875 --> 00:00:23.555
and those neurotransmitters are kind

NOTE Confidence: 0.9639178

00:00:23.555 --> 00:00:25.075
of like the messengers for

NOTE Confidence: 0.9639178

00:00:25.075 --> 00:00:26.275
that neuron that then gets

NOTE Confidence: 0.9639178

00:00:26.275 --> 00:00:27.715
sent to whatever neuron it

NOTE Confidence: 0.9639178

00:00:27.715 --> 00:00:28.994
is synapsing with and then

NOTE Confidence: 0.9639178

00:00:28.994 --> 00:00:30.535
that propagates the signal.

NOTE Confidence: 0.95631504

00:00:30.850 --> 00:00:33.590
Strengthening synapses and pruning synapses

NOTE Confidence: 0.98701173

00:00:34.290 --> 00:00:35.990
to make specific new connections

NOTE Confidence: 0.9703544

00:00:36.530 --> 00:00:37.570
between different parts of your

NOTE Confidence: 0.9703544

00:00:37.570 --> 00:00:39.010
brain. It allows the neurons

NOTE Confidence: 0.9703544

00:00:39.010 --> 00:00:40.390
to form into neurocircuits,

NOTE Confidence: 0.9771094

00:00:41.010 --> 00:00:42.550
which then pretty much controls

NOTE Confidence: 0.9771094

00:00:42.610 --> 00:00:44.114
every aspect of our brain

NOTE Confidence: 0.9771094

00:00:44.114 --> 00:00:45.475
and body functions. No other

NOTE Confidence: 0.9771094

00:00:45.475 --> 00:00:47.715
cell really communicates like neurons

NOTE Confidence: 0.9771094

00:00:47.715 --> 00:00:49.335
do, and it's an integral

NOTE Confidence: 0.9535726

00:00:50.034 --> 00:00:51.795
portion of not only their

NOTE Confidence: 0.9535726

00:00:51.795 --> 00:00:52.295
identity,

NOTE Confidence: 0.97745764

00:00:52.835 --> 00:00:54.035
but their function. You get

NOTE Confidence: 0.97745764

00:00:54.035 --> 00:00:55.315
rid of the synapse, you

NOTE Confidence: 0.97745764

00:00:55.315 --> 00:00:56.535
start to lose neurons.

NOTE Confidence: 0.9892578

00:01:01.610 --> 00:01:02.110
Any

NOTE Confidence: 0.9995117

00:01:02.650 --> 00:01:03.790
neurological disease

NOTE Confidence: 0.996303

00:01:04.490 --> 00:01:05.450
is gonna mess up the

NOTE Confidence: 0.996303

00:01:05.450 --> 00:01:06.510
synapse somehow.

NOTE Confidence: 0.85583496

00:01:07.690 --> 00:01:08.190
Neurodegenerative

NOTE Confidence: 0.93879837

00:01:08.569 --> 00:01:10.730
disease is characterized by loss

NOTE Confidence: 0.93879837

00:01:10.730 --> 00:01:12.285
of neurons, but what happens

NOTE Confidence: 0.93879837

00:01:12.525 --> 00:01:13.485
prior to the deaths of

NOTE Confidence: 0.93879837

00:01:13.485 --> 00:01:15.165
the neurons is that actually

NOTE Confidence: 0.93879837

00:01:15.165 --> 00:01:15.905
the synapses

NOTE Confidence: 0.99731445

00:01:16.285 --> 00:01:18.925
become dysfunctional first. Synapses are

NOTE Confidence: 0.99731445

00:01:18.925 --> 00:01:20.065
starting to be

NOTE Confidence: 0.9367676

00:01:20.605 --> 00:01:22.365
recognized as an early site

NOTE Confidence: 0.9367676

00:01:22.365 --> 00:01:23.985
of pathology and neurodegenerative

NOTE Confidence: 0.9975586

00:01:24.285 --> 00:01:24.785
diseases.

NOTE Confidence: 0.98236084

00:01:25.085 --> 00:01:26.545
And in these diseases,

NOTE Confidence: 0.9595703

00:01:27.340 --> 00:01:29.520
there's a long silent phase

NOTE Confidence: 0.987381

00:01:30.060 --> 00:01:32.300
where the disease processes are

NOTE Confidence: 0.987381

00:01:32.300 --> 00:01:34.640
already ongoing, but the patient

NOTE Confidence: 0.987381

00:01:34.700 --> 00:01:36.319
or the person has no

NOTE Confidence: 0.987381

00:01:36.459 --> 00:01:36.959
obvious

NOTE Confidence: 0.98097736

00:01:37.260 --> 00:01:38.940
symptoms. So our focus of

NOTE Confidence: 0.98097736

00:01:38.940 --> 00:01:40.155
the lab is exactly that,

NOTE Confidence: 0.98097736

00:01:40.315 --> 00:01:41.055
to understand

NOTE Confidence: 0.98482144

00:01:41.435 --> 00:01:43.534
synaptic biology in the context

NOTE Confidence: 0.98482144

00:01:43.674 --> 00:01:44.415
of neurodegeneration.

NOTE Confidence: 0.9535747

00:01:45.194 --> 00:01:47.935
And there, we study synuclein,

NOTE Confidence: 0.9535747

00:01:48.075 --> 00:01:49.275
which is a protein that's

NOTE Confidence: 0.9535747

00:01:49.275 --> 00:01:50.875
found at the synapse and

NOTE Confidence: 0.9535747

00:01:50.875 --> 00:01:52.655
linked causally to disease.

NOTE Confidence: 0.99072266

00:02:00.670 --> 00:02:02.430
We have people trying to

NOTE Confidence: 0.99072266

00:02:02.430 --> 00:02:03.570
understand different

NOTE Confidence: 0.90405273

00:02:04.270 --> 00:02:04.770
confirmations

NOTE Confidence: 0.9720153

00:02:05.150 --> 00:02:07.070
and structures of synuclein in

NOTE Confidence: 0.9720153

00:02:07.070 --> 00:02:08.130
the different synucleinopathies.

NOTE Confidence: 0.9998779

00:02:09.485 --> 00:02:11.105
We're also interested in

NOTE Confidence: 0.99934894

00:02:11.725 --> 00:02:12.944
a genetically related

NOTE Confidence: 0.9748047

00:02:13.325 --> 00:02:15.584
disease, which is interestingly also

NOTE Confidence: 0.9733261

00:02:16.444 --> 00:02:17.885
involved at the synapse where

NOTE Confidence: 0.9733261

00:02:17.885 --> 00:02:20.065
this key protein called cysteine

NOTE Confidence: 0.9733261

00:02:20.285 --> 00:02:21.905
string alpha protein

NOTE Confidence: 1

00:02:22.530 --> 00:02:23.030
is

NOTE Confidence: 0.95979816

00:02:23.489 --> 00:02:25.889
involved in this rare children's

NOTE Confidence: 0.95979816

00:02:25.889 --> 00:02:26.389
disease.

NOTE Confidence: 0.9845215

00:02:26.930 --> 00:02:28.769
And it's also involved in

NOTE Confidence: 0.9845215

00:02:28.769 --> 00:02:30.769
lysosomal function. And we're really

NOTE Confidence: 0.9845215

00:02:30.769 --> 00:02:32.930
interested in actually knowing to

NOTE Confidence: 0.9845215

00:02:32.930 --> 00:02:35.109
what extent does the lysosome

NOTE Confidence: 1

00:02:36.135 --> 00:02:36.635
play

NOTE Confidence: 0.9615165

00:02:37.014 --> 00:02:38.855
in maintaining a synapse, and

NOTE Confidence: 0.9615165

00:02:38.855 --> 00:02:40.875
is that maybe replicated across

NOTE Confidence: 0.9615165

00:02:40.935 --> 00:02:42.635
other neurodegenerative diseases?

NOTE Confidence: 0.9605035

00:02:43.175 --> 00:02:45.014
My research is specifically looking

NOTE Confidence: 0.9605035

00:02:45.014 --> 00:02:46.955
at the gut brain connection

NOTE Confidence: 0.9605035

00:02:47.014 --> 00:02:47.755
in Parkinson's.

NOTE Confidence: 0.95635307

00:02:48.215 --> 00:02:49.975
How alpha synuclein and this,

NOTE Confidence: 0.95635307

00:02:49.975 --> 00:02:51.355
you know, synaptic dysfunction

NOTE Confidence: 0.989671

00:02:52.110 --> 00:02:53.630
might be happening first in

NOTE Confidence: 0.989671

00:02:53.630 --> 00:02:54.590
the neurons that are actually

NOTE Confidence: 0.989671

00:02:54.590 --> 00:02:55.410
in your gut.

NOTE Confidence: 0.9956942

00:02:56.990 --> 00:02:59.330
I am interested in aging

NOTE Confidence: 0.9956942

00:02:59.470 --> 00:03:00.669
as a risk factor for

NOTE Confidence: 0.9956942

00:03:00.669 --> 00:03:01.169
neurodegeneration.

NOTE Confidence: 0.9946777

00:03:01.950 --> 00:03:03.550
That's a lipid modification on

NOTE Confidence: 0.9946777

00:03:03.550 --> 00:03:05.650
proteins that we know accumulates

NOTE Confidence: 0.98363096

00:03:06.030 --> 00:03:07.965
with age, and it affects

NOTE Confidence: 0.98363096

00:03:08.185 --> 00:03:10.444
how proteins localize and function.

NOTE Confidence: 0.98363096

00:03:10.504 --> 00:03:11.544
We also do a lot

NOTE Confidence: 0.98363096

00:03:11.544 --> 00:03:12.905
of imaging to look at

NOTE Confidence: 0.98363096

00:03:12.905 --> 00:03:13.405
localization

NOTE Confidence: 0.896828

00:03:13.705 --> 00:03:15.544
and expression of proteins. I

NOTE Confidence: 0.896828

00:03:15.544 --> 00:03:17.004
actually isolate a dopaminergic

NOTE Confidence: 0.9467937

00:03:17.385 --> 00:03:18.425
rich area of the brain

NOTE Confidence: 0.9467937

00:03:18.425 --> 00:03:20.520
and culture dopaminergic neurons from

NOTE Confidence: 0.9467937

00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:22.040
mice and then do, like,

NOTE Confidence: 0.9467937

00:03:22.040 --> 00:03:23.900
live imaging and different assays.

NOTE Confidence: 0.9620769

00:03:24.360 --> 00:03:26.200
My project's specific focus is

NOTE Confidence: 0.9620769

00:03:26.200 --> 00:03:27.819
on whether and how microglia

NOTE Confidence: 0.9620769

00:03:28.040 --> 00:03:29.400
contribute to the early synapse

NOTE Confidence: 0.9620769

00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:31.080
loss in Parkinson's disease. We

NOTE Confidence: 0.9620769

00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:31.880
use both,

NOTE Confidence: 0.9855957

00:03:32.200 --> 00:03:34.300
genetic and induced mouse models

NOTE Confidence: 0.9855957

00:03:34.440 --> 00:03:36.694
because Parkinson's disease patients can

NOTE Confidence: 0.9855957

00:03:36.694 --> 00:03:38.635
be both sporadic or genetically

NOTE Confidence: 0.9855957

00:03:38.855 --> 00:03:39.355
inherited.

NOTE Confidence: 0.95712423

00:03:39.735 --> 00:03:41.515
So by comparing the mechanisms

NOTE Confidence: 0.95712423

00:03:41.735 --> 00:03:43.334
between the genetic and used

NOTE Confidence: 0.95712423

00:03:43.334 --> 00:03:44.855
mouse models, I hope to

NOTE Confidence: 0.95712423

00:03:44.855 --> 00:03:47.035
find a general microglia synapse

NOTE Confidence: 0.95712423

00:03:47.150 --> 00:03:47.650
interaction

NOTE Confidence: 0.9828288

00:03:48.110 --> 00:03:49.330
pathway that's applicable

NOTE Confidence: 0.9707031

00:03:49.630 --> 00:03:51.170
to all the disease patients.

NOTE Confidence: 0.98072577

00:03:58.430 --> 00:03:59.630
What motivates me to do

NOTE Confidence: 0.98072577

00:03:59.630 --> 00:04:01.444
this research is knowing that

NOTE Confidence: 0.98072577

00:04:01.444 --> 00:04:02.724
if we do and when

NOTE Confidence: 0.98072577

00:04:02.724 --> 00:04:04.344
we do find something

NOTE Confidence: 0.97442627

00:04:04.644 --> 00:04:06.745
that causes this synapse dysfunction,

NOTE Confidence: 0.97442627

00:04:06.965 --> 00:04:08.265
being able to get that

NOTE Confidence: 0.97442627

00:04:08.325 --> 00:04:09.844
translated into some sort of

NOTE Confidence: 0.97442627

00:04:09.844 --> 00:04:10.344
therapeutic.

NOTE Confidence: 0.9842122

00:04:11.685 --> 00:04:13.125
So we can do so

NOTE Confidence: 0.9842122

00:04:13.125 --> 00:04:14.564
much with this research to

NOTE Confidence: 0.9842122

00:04:14.564 --> 00:04:15.844
open up doors for clinical

NOTE Confidence: 0.9842122

00:04:15.844 --> 00:04:17.980
trials and improve the quality

NOTE Confidence: 0.9842122

00:04:17.980 --> 00:04:19.820
of life for people around

NOTE Confidence: 0.9842122

00:04:19.820 --> 00:04:20.480
the world.