Methods

Our lab uses a wide range of biochemical methods to study molecular chaperones and their interaction with and remodeling of amyloid proteins: FRET, MST, DLS, filter retardation, protein folding assays, protein condensation by confocal microscopy and FRAP. 

Our in vivo analyses are centered around C. elegans. We have generated a number of transgenic lines that serve as models for neurodegenerative diseases as well as reporters for protein lifespan and stress response pathways using microinjection and ballistic transformation. 

We study protein aggregation by fluorescence lifetime imaging and protein stabilities by photo-conversion experiments. 

We use neuron-specific functional assays (chemotaxis, learning, memory retention, pathogenic avoidance) as well as calcium imaging to study neuronal activity in the disease models.