I’m a PhD student in neuroscience at Hornstein Lab trying to identify potential interactors of cytoplasmic TDP-43 in human iPSC-derived neurons involved in ALS.

/What is ALS and why it’s interesting to deev more in TDP43 mechanism ?/ TDP-43 (TAR DNA-binding protein 43) is a protein involved in regulating gene expression by binding to RNA and affecting RNA splicing and stability. It is predominantly located in the nucleus but, in certain pathological conditions like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), it mislocalizes to the cytoplasm. This mislocalization is associated with the formation of protein aggregates and neuronal dysfunction, characteristic of ALS.

Biological Background In ALS, the mislocalization and aggregation of TDP-43 in the cytoplasm disrupts normal cellular functions by sequestering RNA and interacting proteins that are crucial for neuron survival and function. Understanding the interactome of cytoplasmic TDP-43 can provide insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of ALS and potentially identify targets for therapeutic intervention.

Research Goal The goal is to identify proteins that interact with TDP-43 in the cytoplasm of human iPSC-derived neurons under conditions that mimic ALS. This will help elucidate the pathways and mechanisms disrupted by TDP-43 mislocalization, offering clues for how these processes contribute to the disease and where interventions might be most effective.

You can find the solutions of my assignments in this repository and the github of the WIS bootcamp in Python