I am a protein chemist, working on molecular mechanisms of protein aggregation (SOD1) causing neurodegenerative disease amylotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The progression of ALS is directly related to disperson of unfolded protein from cell to cell. Our aim is to find out the secretion and uptake mechanism of cells that causes ALS to spread in nervous system. One of the cell secretion route is exosomes that are 30-150 vesicles secreted by almost all kind of the cells. These vesicles can carry normal folded SOD1 or aggregation inducer (unfolded SOD1). We analyse exosome associated cargo that may affect the progression of ALS. In addition, we also work on cargo proteome of exosomes that may effect cell signalling and stress response in cells.