UT Southwestern Unveils Breakthrough in Neurodegenerative Disease Research

Lukasz Joachimiak, PhD

At UT Southwestern Medical Center, researchers have uncovered a pivotal discovery in the fight against degenerative and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s. Their study, published in Structure, reveals how oligomeric chaperones, specifically DNAJB8, play a crucial role in suppressing the formation of misshaped proteins that contribute to these debilitating conditions. Led by Lukasz Joachimiak, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases and of Biochemistry, the research sheds light on the intricate mechanisms by which these chaperones assemble and reshape misfolded proteins. With a deeper understanding of their function, there's promising potential to develop more targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies tailored to combat these diseases at their root. Dr. Joachimiak's work, supported by UTSW’s Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, signifies a significant step forward in the quest for effective treatments against neurodegenerative disorders.