Dr. Joe DeGiorgis

Teaching

Neurobiology with Lab (BIO 360/360L)

Biological Imaging with Lab (BIO 378/378L)

Research (BIO 395/396/495/496)

Research

Alzheimer’s disease Amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin are two of the primary causative agents of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). It is well established that a fragment of APP is found in brain lesions of AD patients and that mutations in the APP and presenilin genes directly cause early onset forms of this devastating disorder. However, little is known about the wildtype roles of these proteins or how mutations in these genes and the proteins that they product manifest the Alzheimer’s pathology. Here, we study the distribution of these proteins in the vertebrate nervous system in hopes of shedding light on their functions. The Squid Visual System Unlike in vertebrates, the squid eye lacks an iris to control the amount of incoming light. Instead, squid possess pigment granules within their photoreceptors the light sensitive cells of the retina. These pigment granules move along microtubules in response to light and act as molecular sunglass to shade the photosensitive machinery from receiving too much light. In our studies, we are trying to uncover the motor proteins responsible for this transport and to uncover the signal transduction cascades that turns these motors off and on through different intensities of light.

Interested in joining the DeGiorgis Lab?

Students interested in joining the lab can email me.