On-Demand Webinar — Insights Into Neurodegeneration: Understanding the Endoplasmic Reticulum Structure/Function Relationship
The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER), a network of membranous sheets and pipes, supports functions encompassing biogenesis of secretory proteins and delivery of functional solutes throughout the cell periphery. Molecular mobility through the ER network enables these functionalities. Understanding the ER structure-function relationship is critical to rationalizing how mutations in ER morphogenic proteins give rise to neurodegenerations.
A purpose-developed super-resolution microscopy and data analysis approach has enabled Dr. Edward Avezov and his team, to unravel the molecular motion inside the ER. Analysis of single-particle trajectories of ER luminal proteins revealed alternating currents. These have implications for timely ER content distribution, particularly important for neuronal geometry.
In this webinar the structural and functional parameters defining the ER functions as a transport system and a proteostasis hub, will be discussed in addition to the neuronal cell functionalities which are reliant on organelle integrity.
Key highlights:
- Methodologies for the quantitative characterization of neuronal functions, from genetic and pharmacological manipulations of iPS cells derived neurons, based on automated live cell analysis
- Neuronal geometry creating a kinetic challenge for molecular transport
- Defects in ER shaping genes leading to neurodegeneration
- Active ER luminal transport supporting material distribution throughout the cell
Edward Avezov, Ph.D.
Group Leader
UK Dementia Research Institute
University of Cambridge
Dr. Edward Avezov received his BSc and MSc degrees from Gorge Wise Faculty of Life Science at Tel-Aviv University, where he also completed his PhD in cell research and immunology in 2010. Edward conducted his postdoctoral work in the University of Cambridge Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science and Cambridge Institute for Medical Research till 2017 with Prof David Ron, FRS.
Quantitative cell biology in the context of human disease has been at the core of his research. Working on the interface of biomedical, physics and mathematical sciences, he developed cross-disciplinary know-how for probing intracellular chemical and physical processes in real-time. This enabled discoveries of unexpected features of Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER), among which is an active ER luminal transport mechanism.
These findings provide insights into the roles of the ER and its morpho-regulation in neuronal (patho) physiology. Edward is currently a UK DRI Group Leader running an interdisciplinary program which seeks understanding of early contributions of fundamental cellular processes, such as Endoplasmic Reticulum transport, to neurodegeneration.
