Kye Kudo

What is the focus of the research?

Understanding how a key brain protein is enriched at the synapse between neurons to help them communicate, and how Parkinson’s disease mutation impact that enrichment.

Why is this important?

In healthy brains, the protein α-synuclein helps neurons communicate. In Parkinson’s disease, it misfolds and forms clumps that cluster and damage neurons. By the time α-synuclein clumps are visible in people’s brains, significant and often irreversible damage has occurred. Using advanced microscopy, this project will track α-synuclein molecules in synapses and examine how Parkinson’s-related mutations change their clustering behaviour. 

Understanding how α-synuclein transitions from functional to disease-causing could identify the first molecular events in Parkinson’s disease. This knowledge is crucial for developing treatments that prevent clumping before damage occurs. It also contributes to the broader understanding of other neurodegenerative diseases caused by protein misfolding, including dementia.

What could it mean for research?

• Improves understanding of how α-synuclein works in neurons.
• Opens potential pathways for treatments targeting α-synuclein.
• Potential to help identify and treat people at risk of brain diseases earlier.

Kye Kudo is a research assistant in the Single Molecule Neuroscience Laboratory at the Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland.